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Author: Johnny Green

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Cannabis Cafes In The Netherlands Selected For Legal Supply Program

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

The Netherlands has long been an international leader when it comes to cannabis culture. For decades people have come from all over the globe to check out Dutch cafes where world-class cannabis is sold.

The cannabis policies in The Netherlands, and specifically Amsterdam, are often difficult for travelers to wrap their heads around. Under Dutch law, cannabis can be sold at licensed coffee shops, but cannabis is currently illegal to produce and supply to the shops.

So while shops can sell cannabis to consumers, many of them international tourists, acquiring the cannabis that they will eventually sell is not legal. All coffee shop owners currently obtain their cannabis from illegal sources. A new pilot program is exploring the idea of fixing that obvious policy discrepancy. Per BBC:

From 2021, cafes in 10 cities will get a legal supply of “quality” cannabis as part of a four-year experiment.

The “weed trials” are aimed at providing a controlled and legalised supply of cannabis, making the industry more transparent and testing whether that will free up police officers to focus on other crimes.

The cities chosen, and still to be approved, are: Arnhem, Almere, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad.

Cafes in the specified locations will be mandated to purchase wholesale cannabis from nationally approved cultivators, and will not be allowed to sell any cannabis at their cafes that originated from unregulated sources.

Larger cities such as The Hague, Amsterdam, Utrecht and Rotterdam are not initially participating in the new public policy experiment due to the requirement that no cannabis sales occur involving unregulated cannabis. The world will be watching to see if the pilot program is a success, or if changes are made prior to the program going nationwide.

The experiment’s success will largely depend on the quality of the product that licensed national cultivators are producing, as well as the end price to the consumer. Those two factors are applicable in every cannabis market in which a regulated and unregulated industry operate in alongside each other.

About International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Illinois Awards Its First Five Adult-Use Cannabis Industry Licenses

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

Illinois is the most recent state to legalize cannabis for adult-use and the first in the nation to have legalized a regulated cannabis industry via legislative action. Every state that currently has an operating legal adult-use cannabis industry legalized via the citizen initiative process, not through the legislature.

State lawmakers in Vermont had legalized cannabis for adult-use before Illinois, however, the Vermont legalization measure did not include provisions for a regulated cannabis industry. Illinois is literally doing something that no other state has ever done before, and cannabis policy wonks and industry members have been keeping a close eye on how things are going for obvious reasons.

The state of Illinois passed a significant milestone this week when it awarded its first round of adult-use cannabis industry licenses. Per The Chicago Tribune:

Illinois awarded its first licenses to sell recreational marijuana to five medical dispensaries on Thursday, even as many municipalities around the state debate whether they’ll allow pot sales.

The five shops that received licenses are peppered throughout Illinois — in Naperville, Mundelein, Joliet, Effingham and Canton — and now have the state’s permission to sell marijuana to anyone over age 21, starting Jan. 1.

Not every state has a citizen initiative process in which citizens can gather a required number of valid signatures from voters and put a cannabis industry legalization measure on election ballots. Because of that, many state legislatures will have to get on board with the idea of supporting a regulated adult-use cannabis industry if the industry is going to spread to certain markets in the U.S.

If things work in Illinois, state legislatures in non-initiative states will be much more likely to support a similar measure in their own jurisdiction. Illinois’ legalization model is not perfect for various reasons, not the least of which is a continued prohibition of home cultivation, but it’s still a step in the right direction.

Hopefully, Illinois will improve its model in the near future and become a truly great example that other states can mimic.

About International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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California’s Top Cannabis Regulator To Speak At The Upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference In Vancouver

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Vancouver.

California is a pioneer when it comes to cannabis policy. It was the first state in the country to legalize cannabis for medical use when California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996.

The legalization of medical cannabis in California led to the birth of a legal industry not only in California, but it also served as a spark to ignite reform measures and industries in other states as well.

The Golden State fell behind in some ways on cannabis policy as other states legalized cannabis for adult-use before California voters ultimately approved an adult-use cannabis legalization initiative in 2016.

After 20 years of seeing its medical cannabis industry flourish the state of California was faced with implementing a regulated adult-use cannabis industry. California is the 5th largest economy on the planet, dwarfing a laundry list of countries’ economies, so the task of launching a regulated adult-use industry alongside the oldest medical cannabis industry was not an easy task.

California’s cannabis industry and political landscape are very unique. It takes a dynamic individual to oversee California’s cannabis industry and Lori Ajax, the first and only Chief of the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, is the perfect person for the position.

Lori Ajax literally has the biggest cannabis regulatory job on the planet. In an industry that is constantly evolving (especially in California), Lori Ajax is right in the middle of it all, obtaining invaluable insight and experience along the way.

She is truly a wealth of knowledge, which is one of many reasons why the International Cannabis Business Conference is proud to announce that Lori Ajax will be a keynote speaker at our upcoming event in Vancouver, British Columbia September 15-16. This is the first time that Chief Lori Ajax will be speaking about cannabis regulations at a conference outside of the U.S. and it is sure to be very informative.

Chief Ajax will also be discussing what she is learning about Canada’s industry and regulations, which will be very useful information for Canadian cannabis industry members to hear about given Ajax’s expertise and experience.

“I’m excited to be able to participate in the upcoming International Cannabis Business Conference. It’s been great to be a part of the California event for the past few years, and I’m really looking forward to learning more about Canada’s legal cannabis market and see if there are lessons to be learned for California’s cannabis industry.” Ajax said.

Canada is the only country pursuing the implementation of a robust, nationwide adult-use cannabis industry. Because of that, it’s hard to find something to compare Canada’s industry against in an attempt to gain insights. The one exception is the state of California.

California has a larger population than Canada, and also has a patchwork of industry regulations that vary by region as Canada does. Canadian cannabis entrepreneurs can learn a great deal by examining what California is doing.

It’s not every day that you get to hear from someone that is at the forefront of cannabis regulation, especially for a market the size of California. If you are a part of Canada’s emerging cannabis industry, or you are looking to get involved, the International Cannabis Business Conference is the place to be September 15-16. You will not want to miss this opportunity!

In addition to Lori Ajax the International Cannabis Business Conference in Vancouver will feature a number of speakers that are true experts in their fields. Additional conference topics will include:

  • Canadian cannabis regulations and policy
  • Regulatory models for edibles, topicals, and extracts
  • Mergers and acquisitions
  • Vetting investments with an eye on emerging international markets
  • Craft cannabis
  • Cannabis exports
  • Extraction science and technology
  • Strategic partnerships

The International Cannabis Business Conference is known for its networking opportunities and our Vancouver event will be no exception. This year’s Vancouver event will feature a yacht after-party headlined by DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. You do not want to miss it!

Tickets are available online or by telephone at 541.864.0090.

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About the International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

About Lori Ajax and the California Bureau of Cannabis Control

In February 2016 California’s Governor appointed Lori Ajax as the first Chief of the newly formed Bureau of Cannabis Control. The Bureau of Cannabis Control is the lead agency in regulating commercial cannabis licenses for medical and adult-use cannabis in California. The Bureau is responsible for licensing retailers, distributors, testing laboratories, microbusinesses, and temporary cannabis events. For more information visit the California Bureau of Cannabis Control’s website at https://bcc.ca.gov/.

Rule Change Allows Cannabis Packaging To Be Recycled At B.C. Stores

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

The emerging legal cannabis industry is facing a huge sustainability dilemma involving cannabis packaging. Packaging requirements in legal cannabis markets such as Canada are significant, and according to many sustainability advocates, the requirements are too extreme.

Anyone who has purchased legal cannabis knows that the amount of packaging required adds up very quickly. Plastic bags, plastic containers, and other packaging are piling up across Canada.

As more people start making their purchases from the regulated industry instead of unregulated sources the cannabis packaging issue is going to continue to increase alongside the increase in demand.

In an attempt to help mitigate the issue, licensed producer Canopy Growth Corp.’s Tweed brand partnered with TerraCycle (a waste management company) to create and implement a nation-wide cannabis packaging recycling program. Unfortunately, the program ran into a roadblock in British Columbia. Per Prince George Matters:

Federal law says all cannabis products must be sealed, put in childproof containers and have an excise stamp placed on them by licensed producers before they are sold.

The B.C. government then made it illegal for retailers to have any cannabis products in their stores if excise-stamp seals were broken or if the packages were opened.

The intent was to keep illicit cannabis from being sold at the stores.

One B.C. store was specifically told that they couldn’t have a recycling bin inside of their store because inspectors considered any recycled containers to be open-containers and therefore not allowed inside the dispensary, even as part of a recycling program.

Fortunately, after the store owner complained to the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch regulators sent a communication to the owner saying that the decision had been made to allow bins for recycling purposes.

It can be tough to navigate all of the evolving federal rules and regulations in Canada’s legal cannabis industry. Local rules and regulations make it even more difficult. Our upcoming event in Vancouver B.C. September 15-16 will unpack it all.

If you want to learn about the most recent and useful information regarding Vancouver’s and British Columbia’s cannabis rules and regulations you will definitely want to check out our panel dedicated to the topic.

Panelists will include John Conroy (Conroy & Company), Andrew Gordon (Strategic Partnerships and Community), Dori Dempster (The Medicinal Cannabis Dispensary), and Jamie Shaw (Pasha Brands). You can find out more at https://internationalcbc.com/vancouver-schedule-2019/.

About the International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Total Jobs In Canada’s Cannabis Industry Has Nearly Quadrupled In The Past Year

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

One very large benefit to reforming cannabis laws and implementing a regulated cannabis industry is the creation of jobs. Unlike many other industries, the cannabis industry can operate in virtually any area, including in rural areas.

Industries come and go as the decades go by. Market shifts, changes in consumer preferences occur, and/or a number of other things happen that affect job opportunities in a given geographic area.

The legal cannabis industry is still largely just getting started in many places, including Canada. Canada’s legal cannabis industry has made large strides in recent years, however, it’s still in its infancy compared to other industries.

Canada’s ongoing effort to implement a robust, nationwide regulated industry has seen hurdles and experienced some setbacks, but it has also had successes that are worth noting, including statistics regarding the number of legal cannabis jobs in the country.

Per Bloomberg, the number of jobs being created by Canada’s legal cannabis industry is increasing at an exponential rate:

Employment in Canada’s cannabis industry has nearly quadrupled in the past year, while the number of companies in the space has more than doubled, according to the latest Statistics Canada data.

StatsCan reported Thursday that there are 9,200 people currently working in the Canadian cannabis sector, up from 2,630 in the fiscal 2018 year and 1,438 in fiscal 2017. Meanwhile, the number of companies in the industry is now tallied at 175, up from 83 a year earlier and 37 in 2017, StatsCan said.

People from all types of backgrounds are scrambling to get into the cannabis industry, and for good reason. A career in cannabis can be very exciting and rewarding, and unlike many other industries, the future of the cannabis industry is extremely bright.

It will be interesting to see where Canada’s cannabis industry employment numbers are at a year from now, five years from now, and beyond. If you are looking to learn more about Canada’s cannabis industry we invite you to check out our upcoming event in Vancouver, British Columbia September 15-16. We hope to see you there!

About the International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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Cannabis Import/Export Regulations Are Coming To Jamaica Soon

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business.

Jamaica has a long and rich history with the cannabis plant. Cannabis has been a part of Jamaica’s culture for many decades and has been a driving force for the Caribbean island nation’s unregulated industry.

In recent years Jamaica has implemented cannabis industry regulations, with the Cannabis Licensing Authority having granted 54 licenses so far. The country’s emerging legal cannabis industry will likely get a big boost in the near future with import and export regulations expected to be finalized soon. Per Jamaica Observer:

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Audley Shaw, says Jamaicans can expect the import/export regulations for cannabis soon.

Speaking Wednesday (August 14) at the official opening of SENSI Medical Cannabis House at the Pulse Centre in New Kingston, Shaw said work is being done on the draft of the regulations by the Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) and other agencies of Government.

“Through the work of the CLA, we [Government] are now in receipt of the first draft of the import/export regulations for cannabis for final review and discussion, which upon enactment, will give the CLA jurisdiction or the statutory authority to handle requests for import/export of inflorescence/flower and extract/resin,” the minister said.

“It’s moving between the various agencies, [such as] the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General’s Department, the Chief Parliamentary Counsel and the CLA,” he added.

If/when Jamaica implements regulations, and exports and imports officially launch, Jamaica will join a growing list of countries that are taking their cannabis industries global. Hopefully soon Jamaica will take its rightful spot as an international cannabis supplier.

Join us at our upcoming event in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, this September 15-16 to find out the latest information regarding the international cannabis industry. Purchase your tickets today!

About the International Cannabis Business Conference

International Cannabis Business Conference events are the premier cannabis events for entrepreneurs across the globe. With events in Canada, the United States, Switzerland, Spain, and Germany the International Cannabis Business Conference is where the world meets cannabis. Find out more at InternationalCBC.com and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.