MMJ Business Daily

Does vape lawsuit foreshadow litigious future for cannabis industry?

By John Schroyer

A turf war over Arizona’s medical cannabis vaporizer market has spilled into the courts, with one multistate marijuana company suing another over an alleged smear campaign.

While the case itself may not be a particular milestone, it’s another hallmark of the industry’s emergence into an atmosphere where high-stakes litigation is commonplace.

In the lawsuit – which is over a year old but was amended in early April to identify Colorado-based Openvape as the primary defendant – Arizona-based Verde Dispensary and its vaporizer cartridge wing, Dream Steam, charge that Openvape has “conducted itself like the tobacco companies

…

Does vape lawsuit foreshadow litigious future for cannabis industry? is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Marijuana Business Daily joins Associated Press

Marijuana Business Daily has become a member of the Associated Press, giving the cannabis-focused news publication access to MJ-related stories from around the world.

MJBizDaily will incorporate cannabis business coverage from the AP’s staff as well as more than 6,000 newspapers and TV and radio stations worldwide. The AP, founded in 1846, has correspondents and photojournalists in more than 100 nations.

The arrangement also permits the AP to distribute MJBizDaily’s articles to news organizations for publication.

“This allows us to enhance our coverage by offering readers more news and analysis about the marijuana industry, legalization efforts and the businesses and people behind this rapidly

…

Marijuana Business Daily joins Associated Press is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Pennsylvania proposes medical marijuana rules for doctors

Pennsylvania regulators issued draft rules governing how doctors can qualify to recommend medical marijuana and certify patients to receive the drug under the state’s new MMJ program.

Medical cannabis advocates, however, warned the proposed regulations could limit patient access to MMJ, the Allentown Morning Call reported. Fewer patients would curb MMJ sales.

The state health department’s proposed rules would require doctors to complete a four-hour training session about medical cannabis. Physicians almost would have to add their names to a state registry.

Becky Dansky of the Marijuana Policy Project told the Morning Call the registry requirement could limit

…

Pennsylvania proposes medical marijuana rules for doctors is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Colorado cannabis cultivation curbs may benefit legal MJ firms

Colorado lawmakers have passed two measures they believe will curb illicit marijuana cultivation and potentially send more consumers to legal cannabis retailers.

The state Senate unanimously passed a bill Monday prohibiting people in co-ops from growing recreational cannabis for others, the Associated Press reported. The House already had passed the legislation.

The bill now goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper. The governor supports the measure, according to the news service, but it’s unclear when he will sign it.

The AP noted there are no state figures on the number of growing co-ops that might exist. The co-ops allow participants

…

Colorado cannabis cultivation curbs may benefit legal MJ firms is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Bipartisan bloc of Congress seeks to protect medical cannabis trade

Forty-four members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a formal letter to the authors of an upcoming federal budget bill requesting they write the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment into the measure to guarantee the U.S. government can’t prosecute medical marijuana businesses that follow state MMJ law.

“We respectfully request that you include language barring the Department of Justice from prosecuting those who comply with their state’s medical marijuana laws,” the letter reads. “We believe such a policy is not only consistent with the wishes of a bipartisan majority of the members of the House, but also with the wishes of the American

…

Bipartisan bloc of Congress seeks to protect medical cannabis trade is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Washington state’s cannabis tracking contract up for bid

By Bart Schaneman

Washington state regulators have begun accepting bids for a new seed-to-sale tracking system to keep tabs on marijuana commerce, a deal with an initial value of about $3 million.

The competition likely will be fierce, given that the contract involves one of the nation’s largest cannabis markets.

But businesses won’t be squaring off against the provider of the state’s current seed-to-sale system, BioTrackTHC. The company said it has no plans to bid for the new contract, saying it is uncomfortable with some specifics of the state’s proposal.

BioTrackTHC’s contract expires in October.

Bids for the new contract are

…

Washington state’s cannabis tracking contract up for bid is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

New Mexico may expand medical marijuana qualifying condition list

New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Advisory Board voted for the second time since November to expand the state’s qualifying condition list for MMJ, but the health department chief is apparently obstructing such an expansion.

The latest vote, last Friday, was to add another six conditions to the list, after the board voted last year to add two other ailments, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. But last November, New Mexico Health Secretary Lynn Gallagher ignored the board’s recommendations, and it looks as if she may do so again this time around, the newspaper reported.

Currently, 20 medical conditions

…

New Mexico may expand medical marijuana qualifying condition list is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June

Ohio regulators will begin taking applications for its 24 available cultivation licenses in June and review them in July.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, winning applicants will have nine months to meet the program’s requirements. It’s not clear when regulators will choose the winning applicants.

The Ohio Department of Commerce is expected to release application forms and instructions in the next couple of weeks, the Plain Dealer reported. Officials will then host a webinar to explain the necessary steps and take queries before cultivators begin the application process.

The state will issue two types of grower licenses:

…

Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June

Ohio regulators will begin taking applications for its 24 available cultivation licenses in June and review them in July.

According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, winning applicants will have nine months to meet the program’s requirements. It’s not clear when regulators will choose the winning applicants.

The Ohio Department of Commerce is expected to release application forms and instructions in the next couple of weeks, the Plain Dealer reported. Officials will then host a webinar to explain the necessary steps and take queries before cultivators begin the application process.

The state will issue two types of grower licenses:

…

Ohio to accept medical cannabis grower applications in June is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Report: Canadian government to offer rec marijuana bill Thursday

Canada’s federal government is expected Thursday to introduce widely anticipated legislation to legalize recreational cannabis.

According to The Globe and Mail, the legislation is expected to require adult-use cannabis to be offered in plain packaging, more like tobacco products versus alcohol.

A government official told the newspaper a “big gap” exists between the government’s view on packaging and a proposal offered by the nation’s federally licensed cannabis producers as they gear up for the launch of the recreational market.

It’s unclear when Parliament might adopt the government’s proposed legislation, according to The Globe and Mail. Canadian Prime Minister

…

Report: Canadian government to offer rec marijuana bill Thursday is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs