MMJ Business Daily

Hawaii medical marijuana company harvests state’s first crop

Put it in the record books: A medical marijuana company in Hawaii has become the first in the state to harvest its initial crop.

But the state lacks an approved lab to test the cannabis, slowing the rollout of Hawaii’s MMJ program.

According to Pacific Business News, Aloha Green Holdings – based in Oahu – said this week it harvested the marijuana from an indoor grow facility.

Along with Pono Life Sciences and Maui Wellness Group, Aloha Green began growing cannabis in February. Hawaii has licensed eight vertically integrated MMJ businesses.

The next step is

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Hawaii medical marijuana company harvests state’s first crop is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

US appeals court sidesteps key ruling with MMJ business owner

A federal appeals court in San Francisco sidestepped making a ruling on whether U.S. prison officials can hold a cannabis business owner who was convicted of marijuana offenses that were legal under state medical marijuana laws.
In a decision Wednesday…

Maryland awards first medical marijuana cultivation license

The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission gave final approval to the first company to win a cultivation license under the state’s MMJ program.

The announcement Wednesday comes nine months after the state revealed 15 preliminary license winners, underscoring the slow rollout of Maryland’s medical cannabis program.

ForwardGro, based in Anne Arundel County to the south of Baltimore, is the first of the preliminary winners to make it through stage two of the licensing process. Other winners are still undergoing background checks, completing facility buildouts, and obtaining local zoning approval, according to a news release from the commission.

The

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Maryland awards first medical marijuana cultivation license is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

MJBizCon panel offers mixed outlooks for cannabis industry under Trump

By John Schroyer

A congressman, an activist and a pair of former federal officials agreed on one thing Wednesday on the first day of the Spring Marijuana Business Conference & Expo: The only certainty for cannabis businesses under the Trump administration is uncertainty.

“People who hang on the words of this administration are going to suffer terminal whiplash,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon – one of four panelists discussing the first 100 days of the Trump administration – when asked how those in the marijuana industry should interpret the various statements made by Trump surrogates and cabinet

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MJBizCon panel offers mixed outlooks for cannabis industry under Trump is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

MJBizCon panel offers mixed outlooks for cannabis industry under Trump

By John Schroyer

A congressman, an activist and a pair of former federal officials agreed on one thing Wednesday on the first day of the Spring Marijuana Business Conference & Expo: The only certainty for cannabis businesses under the Trump administration is uncertainty.

“People who hang on the words of this administration are going to suffer terminal whiplash,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon – one of four panelists discussing the first 100 days of the Trump administration – when asked how those in the marijuana industry should interpret the various statements made by Trump surrogates and cabinet

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MJBizCon panel offers mixed outlooks for cannabis industry under Trump is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Washington signs off on statewide organic cannabis certification

Washington state has taken a major step in launching what is believed to be the country’s first state-run organic marijuana certification program.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed legislation Tuesday for the state to develop organic cannabis certification, Reuters reported.

The new law “creates a voluntary program for the certification and regulation of organic marijuana products.” The Washington Department of Agriculture will administer the program.

A sponsor of the legislation – state Sen. Ann Rivers – predicted marijuana certified as organically grown would probably be available in 1½ years.

Rivers said the organic cannabis program could follow the lead

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Washington signs off on statewide organic cannabis certification is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Australian companies ramping up for medical marijuana market

Australian businesses looking to enter the nation’s nascent medical cannabis market are doing plenty of prep work, including raising millions and signing partnership deals.

Within recent days, Perth-based AusCann was at the center of two such related developments. The publicly traded company on Wednesday revealed it is attempting to raise 10 million Australian dollars ($7.4 million), according to the Australian Financial Review, by selling 20 million new shares. The money would be used for growing and manufacturing MMJ products.

The same company has also entered into a partnership with a firm that specializes

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Australian companies ramping up for medical marijuana market is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Exclusive: U.S. marijuana sales could rise 35% in 2017, hit $17B annually by 2021

By Marijuana Business Daily staff

Retail sales of medical and recreational cannabis in the United States are expected to hit $5 billion-$6 billion this year and surge to as high as $17 billion by 2021, according to exclusive projections released today in the 2017 Marijuana Business Factbook.

The rapid rise of the recreational market, legalization in new states and further development in existing MMJ programs will spur much of that growth.

“The marijuana industry is primed and pumped for explosive growth in the foreseeable future, provided there isn’t a significant crackdown at the federal level,” said Chris Walsh

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Exclusive: U.S. marijuana sales could rise 35% in 2017, hit $17B annually by 2021 is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

AK cannabis businesses denied ‘Alaska Grown’ label

At least two marijuana companies in Alaska have applied for – but almost certainly won’t receive – formal state advertising labels that are typically granted to other agricultural products.

The labels, which simply read “Alaska Grown,” are handed out via the state Division of Agriculture. But a spokesperson for the agency told Alaska Daily News the department doesn’t want to jeopardize any of its federal funding by appearing to support the marijuana business.

The Alaska Marijuana Industry Association blasted the decision, calling it “simply arbitrary.”

“It is unconscionable that the state would license and tax establishments and not grant

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AK cannabis businesses denied ‘Alaska Grown’ label is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Marijuana Business Conference & Expo kicks off with Trump a focus of industry executives

By John Schroyer

Facing a cloud of uncertainty under the new Trump administration, more than 3,000 cannabis entrepreneurs, investors and executives are descending on the nation’s capital this week for the third annual spring Marijuana Business Conference & Expo.

The gathering, held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the outskirts of Washington DC, kicks off Wednesday morning with speakers and participants discussing a range of topics and trends as well as the industry’s future under the new occupant of the White House just a few miles to the north.

The conference’s first panel on Day One,

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Marijuana Business Conference & Expo kicks off with Trump a focus of industry executives is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs