Susan Duggan

Michigan regulators are asking for volunteers to provide input for the state’s  new recreational marijuana industry rules , and the cannabis industry is responding to ensure its views are heard. The state is forming work groups to cover four regulatory topics: Existing medical marijuana license holders interested in entering the adult-use market. Municipalities that are considering allowing licensed recreational facilities in their community. Attorneys who represent marijuana establishments that have an interest in the adult-use market. Individuals or businesses interested in participating in the market as potential licensees or consumers. Morgan Fox, spokesman for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), noted that its Michigan members will be actively involved in the effort, as will its allied association, the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. Fox said the NCIA also is planning to make its resources, such as best practices and industry standards, availabl

Currently, there are two different types of plants that are used in the extraction and manufacturing process of cannabidiol , popularly known as CBD . These plants both belong to the cannabis genus and are marijuana and hemp. Both plants are then further cultivated into a range of different strains that contain especially high concentrations of certain cannabinoids. Since CBD is CBD regardless of the plant from which it is sourced, do you really need to concern yourself with the type of plant the manufacturer uses? Does  hemp CBD oil for sale online  vary from other CBD oil that might come from marijuana or that doesn’t specify a specific source crop? There are a few different reasons why it may not matter and other reasons why it matters a great deal. Why It Shouldn’t Matter In a perfect world, it wouldn’t really matter whether CBD was derived from hemp or marijuana because CBD is a common chemical compound in both plants. There’s nothing that differentiates CBD derived from

Efforts to create a taxed and regulated marijuana market in Vermont advanced Thursday after the state Senate approved a bill to allow legal cannabis sales. The legislation was approved by a roll call vote of 23 to 5—a veto-proof margin. After an additional procedural vote in the Senate, likely on Friday, the proposal will head to the House of Representatives. If enacted into law, S. 54 would establish the Cannabis Control Board as the state’s regulatory body for a legal marijuana market. Five types of licenses for various cannabis businesses would be available, and cannabis sales would be taxed with an excise tax of 16 percent, plus a two percent local option tax. The bill also includes measures to encourage women and communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition and the war on drugs to join the newly legal market. “Today’s strong, tri-partisan vote sends a clear message that Vermonters of all political stripes are ready to regulate commercial cultivation and sale of alr

Efforts to create a taxed and regulated marijuana market in Vermont advanced Thursday after the state Senate approved a bill to allow legal cannabis sales. The legislation was approved by a roll call vote of 23 to 5—a veto-proof margin. After an additional procedural vote in the Senate, likely on Friday, the proposal will head to the House of Representatives. If enacted into law, S. 54 would establish the Cannabis Control Board as the state’s regulatory body for a legal marijuana market. Five types of licenses for various cannabis businesses would be available, and cannabis sales would be taxed with an excise tax of 16 percent, plus a two percent local option tax. The bill also includes measures to encourage women and communities disproportionately impacted by prohibition and the war on drugs to join the newly legal market. “Today’s strong, tri-partisan vote sends a clear message that Vermonters of all political stripes are ready to regulate commercial cultivation and sale of alr

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb revealed new details about plans to pursue alternative pathways for CBD regulation and also acknowledged that federal prohibition drives research into medical marijuana overseas on Wednesday. Gottlieb’s latest comments were in response to questions from Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) during a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee. Among the revelations that came out of the hearing was that Gottlieb will shortly announce that the FDA will hold a public meeting “sometime in April” to hear from stakeholders about how to best regulate CBD derived from hemp, which was legalized late last year as part of the 2018 Farm Bill . He also said he’d be forming a working group comprised of agency experts to inform him on regulatory options for CBD. Pocan wanted to know “how actively” the FDA was considering different pathways to regulate food and dietary supplements that contain

This weekly series from Marijuana Business Daily and Viridian Capital Advisors provides the latest data on cannabis investment activity and M&A, along with key takeaways, analysis and trends based on recent market moves. The data below, provided by Viridian Capital Advisors, is through the week ended Feb. 22. Capital raise highlights: Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE: IIPR ), a cannabis industry-focused real estate investment trust, closed a $144 million raise – capital it plans to use to purchase properties to lease back to marijuana operators. “As more investors come in that don’t want to touch the plant, they could be more open to this type of real estate investment opportunity,” said Harrison Phillips, vice president with Viridian Capital Advisors. Boston-based Ascend Wellness Holdings, a multistate vertically integrated marijuana operator, closed a $55 million funding round – capital the firm will use to expand in its home state of Massachusetts and other mark

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb revealed new details about plans to pursue alternative pathways for CBD regulation and also acknowledged that federal prohibition drives research into medical marijuana overseas on Wednesday. Gottlieb’s latest comments were in response to questions from Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) during a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee. Among the revelations that came out of the hearing was that Gottlieb will shortly announce that the FDA will hold a public meeting “sometime in April” to hear from stakeholders about how to best regulate CBD derived from hemp, which was legalized late last year as part of the 2018 Farm Bill . He also said he’d be forming a working group comprised of agency experts to inform him on regulatory options for CBD. Pocan wanted to know “how actively” the FDA was considering different pathways to regulate food and dietary supplements that contain

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb revealed new details about plans to pursue alternative pathways for CBD regulation and also acknowledged that federal prohibition drives research into medical marijuana overseas on Wednesday. Gottlieb’s latest comments were in response to questions from Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) during a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee. Among the revelations that came out of the hearing was that Gottlieb will shortly announce that the FDA will hold a public meeting “sometime in April” to hear from stakeholders about how to best regulate CBD derived from hemp, which was legalized late last year as part of the 2018 Farm Bill . He also said he’d be forming a working group comprised of agency experts to inform him on regulatory options for CBD. Pocan wanted to know “how actively” the FDA was considering different pathways to regulate food and dietary supplements that contain

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb revealed new details about plans to pursue alternative pathways for CBD regulation and also acknowledged that federal prohibition drives research into medical marijuana overseas on Wednesday. Gottlieb’s latest comments were in response to questions from Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and Mark Pocan (D-WI) during a hearing before a House Appropriations subcommittee. Among the revelations that came out of the hearing was that Gottlieb will shortly announce that the FDA will hold a public meeting “sometime in April” to hear from stakeholders about how to best regulate CBD derived from hemp, which was legalized late last year as part of the 2018 Farm Bill . He also said he’d be forming a working group comprised of agency experts to inform him on regulatory options for CBD. Pocan wanted to know “how actively” the FDA was considering different pathways to regulate food and dietary supplements that contain

(This story has been updated to include results from the fiscal second quarter of 2017.) Los Angeles-based MedMen reported revenue of $29.9 million and a net loss of $64.6 million for its fiscal second quarter ended Dec. 29, as the multistate cannabis company saw its sales grow and red ink recede versus the previous quarter. The retailer reported a net loss of $11 million on sales of $3 million for the same period a year ago. The latest revenue figure for the newly public company – it debuted on the Canadian Securities Exchange last May – is up 39% from $21.5 million in MedMen’s first fiscal quarter ended Sept. 30, 2018. The company’s latest net loss, meanwhile, narrowed from $66.5 million in the first quarter. The retailer, which last week enjoyed a reprieve on closing its flagship store in West Hollywood, is a defendant in  three separate lawsuits . MedMen trades on the CSE under the ticker symbol  MMEN. More details on the fiscal second quarter results are  available her

CBD oil ’s anti-inflammatory effect is part of what makes it such an interesting supplement. Its natural potential to curb inflammation within the body may explain  the reach of its benefits . This doesn’t mean that cannabidiol is the cure-all that some marketers and sellers claim, but its effects on inflammation throughout the body could be significant for addressing a range of issues. We’ve talked about  CBD oil benefits for skin , but could those same anti-inflammatory effects have an impact on the scalp and hair? What are CBD oil benefits for hair loss and regrowth? Will it cure baldness or transform dry, brittle, or thin hair into lush, silky locks? Some products may be eager to give this impression but it’s important to keep your expectations grounded in CBD’s established benefits . CBD oil, specifically CBD hemp oil, has been shown to benefit the hair and nails in some ways. Researchers and doctors think this may be due to the prevalence of fatty acids, amino acids and

The largest organization representing psychology professionals in the United States is calling on the federal government to expand the legal supply of marijuana for use in scientific research. In a letter addressed to Attorney General William Barr, the American Psychological Association (APA) is requesting that the Department of Justice immediately evaluate the more than two dozen applications for cannabis cultivation licenses that stalled under his predecessor Jeff Sessions. “The scientific community is eager to advance cannabis research on both the harmful and therapeutic effects of cannabis and its derivatives,” APA President Arthur Evans Jr. wrote on Wednesday. “Without access to an expanded range of cannabis products engineered under [Food and Drug Administration]-approved Good Manufacturing Practices, scientific research cannot hope to keep pace with the ever-expanding recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace.” Cannabis and its constituent compounds are of significant

New Hampshire’s House gave preliminary approval on Wednesday to a bill legalizing a recreational marijuana industry that would allow an unlimited number of licenses statewide. A similar bill passed the House last year before dying in the Republican-controlled Senate. Democrats, who added legalization to their party platform last year, now control the Senate as well. But the measure still faces a huge hurdle: Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has said he would “absolutely” veto the bill if it passes both chambers. House lawmakers voted 209-147 to refer the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee for further consideration of the proposed regulatory system and tax structure. New Hampshire, like many states across New England and the Northeast , is feeling pressure to legalize in wake of Massachusetts’ recreational marijuana program launch. According to a summary prepared by the Marijuana Policy Project, the proposed measure includes: No statewide limit on the number of license

The largest organization representing psychology professionals in the United States is calling on the federal government to expand the legal supply of marijuana for use in scientific research. In a letter addressed to Attorney General William Barr, the American Psychological Association (APA) is requesting that the Department of Justice immediately evaluate the more than two dozen applications for cannabis cultivation licenses that stalled under his predecessor Jeff Sessions. “The scientific community is eager to advance cannabis research on both the harmful and therapeutic effects of cannabis and its derivatives,” APA President Arthur Evans Jr. wrote on Wednesday. “Without access to an expanded range of cannabis products engineered under [Food and Drug Administration]-approved Good Manufacturing Practices, scientific research cannot hope to keep pace with the ever-expanding recreational and medicinal cannabis marketplace.” Cannabis and its constituent compounds are of significan