MMJ Business Daily

Governor overhauls Maryland medical cannabis commission

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan overhauled the state’s 16-member medical cannabis commission this week, making 10 appointments and doubling its minority representation.

Hogan filled three vacancies on the panel, replaced six commissioners whose terms had expired and reappointed a 10th commissioner, assistant comptroller John Gontrum, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Critics of the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission – including the Legislative Black Caucus – have charged the panel lacked diversity and failed in a mandate to ensure minorities are represented among grow and dispensary licensees.

The other nine appointees, according to the Business Journal:

• Charles LoDico,

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Governor overhauls Maryland medical cannabis commission is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

DC works to boost diversity in medical marijuana program

Add Washington DC to the list of U.S. marijuana markets trying to improve diversity in the industry.

The DC Council passed an emergency bill that gives minorities preference in the application process for medical marijuana licenses, The Washington Post reported. The legislation is awaiting the mayor’s approval.

In addition to the emergency bill, DC is working to award a dispensary permit in an overwhelmingly black neighborhood, according to the newspaper. Both moves would be welcome news in a market that has eight cultivation centers but only one black grower.

One of DC’s neighbors, Maryland, is 

DC works to boost diversity in medical marijuana program is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Week in Review: Massachusetts rec cannabis delay, Denver social use & West Virginia MMJ advisers

By Omar Sacirbey and Bart Schaneman

Massachusetts lawmakers table negotiations on the state’s recreational marijuana law, Denver finalizes rules for social cannabis use, and West Virginia creates an advisory board to help plan an MMJ industry.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

So close, yet so far

In the annals of Massachusetts marijuana legalization, this week will be remembered as an excruciating episode of Mass delays.

The six state lawmakers – three each from the Senate and House – who comprise the committee tasked with melding two vastly different

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Week in Review: Massachusetts rec cannabis delay, Denver social use & West Virginia MMJ advisers is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

185 applications for Ohio’s 24 medical cannabis grow licenses

Ohio received 185 applications for medical marijuana cultivation licenses by the June 30 deadline, and state regulators now must whittle that number to the 24 growers that ultimately will receive permits.

Of the 185 applications, 109 are for Level I licenses, which allow grows up to 25,000 square feet, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The other 76 applications are for Level II licenses, which allow sites up to 3,000 square feet. After winning a license, cultivators can apply for larger grow spaces.

Level I licenses will cost $180,000 for the first year and $200,000 for annual renewals, according to

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185 applications for Ohio’s 24 medical cannabis grow licenses is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

185 applications for Ohio’s 24 medical cannabis grow licenses

Ohio received 185 applications for medical marijuana cultivation licenses by the June 30 deadline, and state regulators now must whittle that number to the 24 growers that ultimately will receive permits.

Of the 185 applications, 109 are for Level I licenses, which allow grows up to 25,000 square feet, The Columbus Dispatch reported. The other 76 applications are for Level II licenses, which allow sites up to 3,000 square feet. After winning a license, cultivators can apply for larger grow spaces.

Level I licenses will cost $180,000 for the first year and $200,000 for annual renewals, according to

…

185 applications for Ohio’s 24 medical cannabis grow licenses is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

First medical marijuana dispensary opens in Maryland

Maryland regulators are allowing the state’s first medical marijuana dispensary to open its doors immediately, even though no MMJ products will be available for months.

The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission approved Wellness Institute of Maryland’s license on Wednesday, the Baltimore Sun reported.

However,  the state’s first medical marijuana crop isn’t expected to be available until after Labor Day, so Michael Kline – owner of the Frederick-based Wellness Institute – said the dispensary would start taking “pre-orders” Thursday.

ForwardGro of Anne Arundel County is the only company licensed to grow MMJ in Maryland so far. The commission delayed licensing a second

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First medical marijuana dispensary opens in Maryland is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

MMJ advocate sues Florida to get smokable cannabis into program

A cannabis advocate who was instrumental in Florida’s passage of a medical marijuana law filed suit against the state to get smokable MJ included in the program.

Attorney John Morgan argued in the lawsuit filed Thursday that smoking marijuana is the best way to administer it to some patients.

Smokable medical marijuana would entice patients to join the program and subsequently increase revenue for the state’s MMJ industry.

Morgan led the ballot effort that put MMJ in the state constitution with 71% voter approval. He said the language in the constitution said marijuana can’t be smoked in

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MMJ advocate sues Florida to get smokable cannabis into program is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

MMJ advocate sues Florida to get smokable cannabis into program

A cannabis advocate who was instrumental in Florida’s passage of a medical marijuana law filed suit against the state to get smokable MJ included in the program.

Attorney John Morgan argued in the lawsuit filed Thursday that smoking marijuana is the best way to administer it to some patients.

Smokable medical marijuana would entice patients to join the program and subsequently increase revenue for the state’s MMJ industry.

Morgan led the ballot effort that put MMJ in the state constitution with 71% voter approval. He said the language in the constitution said marijuana can’t be smoked in

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MMJ advocate sues Florida to get smokable cannabis into program is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Massachusetts suspends rec marijuana legalization talks

Massachusetts’ House Speaker suspended negotiations on a recreational marijuana legalization measure, suggesting those talks were distracting lawmakers from finalizing another bill on the state’s budget.

The move on Wednesday night could further delay passage and implementation of an adult-use cannabis law, which state legislators have been working on since 54% of state voters passed a measure last November.

House lawmakers voted to repeal and replace the voter-backed measure with a more restrictive and tax-heavy bill, while state senators passed a measure with more modest changes that has been endorsed by cannabis advocates.

A

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Massachusetts suspends rec marijuana legalization talks is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Colorado awards first cannabis transporter licenses

Green Parcel Service said Colorado regulators granted the Denver company transporter licenses for medical and recreational marijuana under a new state law.

The law, which took effect July 1, created a new class of licenses that allow independent companies to provide logistics, distribution and storage services to licensed retail and medical marijuana businesses in Colorado.

Green Parcel Service said in a news release it is the first in the state to secure the permits. An official with the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Marijuana Enforcement Division could not be reached for comment.

Among other things, the new license allows independent

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Colorado awards first cannabis transporter licenses is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs