CANMD News

Tabatha Robinson Appointed as Director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 18:14:45 GMT

Governor Moore announces appointment of Tabatha Robinson as Director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA).

Robinson will succeed former director Will Tilburg, who departed the agency in December 2024. She will serve in an acting capacity pending confirmation of her appointment by the Maryland Senate during the 2025 Legislative Session

Read more here .

MCA Releases Employer Partner Information

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:48:08 GMT

The Maryland Cannabis Administration (MCA) released Employer Partner Information for the Cannabis Workforce Development Program.

Learn more about the MCA's Workforce Development Program here.

What does New Jersey's Hemp Bill S3235 include?

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:38:01 GMT

The governor of New Jersey signed hemp bill S3235 on September 12, 2024.

Overview

The measure seeks to regulate intoxicating hemp products by prohibiting synthetic THC and requiring that only naturally occurring biologically active chemical constituents be used. While it permits CBD and other natural cannabinoids, it establishes strict THC concentration limits, setting a per-serving cap at 0.5 mg of total THC and 2.5 mg per package, aiming to control potency. While hemp products are currently not permitted to be sold in licensed dispensaries, this law reverses that policy and mandates that the Cannabis Regulatory Commission (“CRC”) promulgate regulations within one year for the sale of “intoxicating hemp products,” which would

then only be available through Class 5 Cannabis Retailers (an existing retail license categories for regulated cannabis stores).

Timeline

The governor’s signature initiated a timeline. Immediately upon signing, all hemp products in the state with any detectable level of THC became subject to age verification and deemed unavailable to anyone under the age of 21. 30 days after that date, any product that exceeds the total THC caps of 0.5 mg per serving and 2.5 mg per package must be removed from shelves throughout the state.

Within six months from bill signing, the CRC must promulgate regulations for the sale and distribution of intoxicating hemp beverages in liquor stores and through licensed alcohol distributors. In conjunction with the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, certain alcohol

wholesaler/distributors and certain liquor stores that met regulatory requirements will receive an endorsement to sell and distribute “intoxicating hemp beverages.” Within a year of the bill signing, the CRC must promulgate regulations for the sale and distribution of intoxicating hemp products in Class 5 Cannabis Retailers only.

Products Available

After the initial 30 days, hemp products could be available for sale in three instances. First, any retailer in the state can sell hemp-infused products (including beverages), if the THC content is below the defined intoxicating threshold of 0.5 mg of total THC per serving or 2.5 mg per package. These products would be classified as regular hemp products rather than "intoxicating hemp products," allowing them to be sold in typical retail environments. Non-beverage products exceeding 0.5 mg per serving or 2.5 mg per package are considered "intoxicating hemp products" and can only be sold through licensed Class 5 Cannabis Retailers (expected to mean dispensaries) and only after the CRC promulgates regulations within one year. The CRC is granted authority to set the maximum allowable THC amounts per serving and package. Even before the regulations are developed for the sale of intoxicating hemp products in Class 5 Retailers, the CRC must promulgate regulations for intoxicating hemp beverages to be sold and distributed through licensed alcohol channels.

Beverage

Currently, the regulated cannabis program in New Jersey caps THC in beverages at 5 mg per package. This is distinct from other edible products that have a 100 mg per package limit (and a 10 mg per serving limit). In this new regulatory environment, products can include “intoxicating hemp beverages to be sold in qualifying liquor stores.” It will be up to the CRC to differentiate and determine key issues such as maximum serving sizes, what amounts to a “package” with regard to beverages, and what might happen with set-back provisions or other local laws limiting sales within municipalities or otherwise that conflict with local ordinance.

Enforcement

Explicit enforcement authority is given to local law enforcement as well as local health code officials. These municipal officials may seize products and impose fines that increase according to the number of offenses. Notably, the statute provides minimum fines that must be charged but does not cap the fines. Municipalities may retain half of all fines collected in their municipal coffers.

Potential Regulatory Disparity

The bill integrates intoxicating hemp products into the existing cannabis regulatory system, but there are no specific standards in terms of licensing, testing, and enforcement, required within the law. One concern would be areas in which hemp intoxicant products would not be held to the same health and safety standards, again dependent on how the CRC establishes rules.

Legal Challenge

A lawsuit challenging the legality of S3235 was filed by a group of plaintiffs including Loki Brands LLC, arguing that New Jersey's restrictions are preempted by the 2018 Farm Bill and violate the Supremacy and Dormant Commerce Clauses, and that the law's redefinition of hemp could unfairly harm businesses. On September 27, the District of New Jersey converted the Plaintiff’s Motion seeking a preliminary injunction to stay most of the law into a Motion of Summary Judgement. Opposition and Plaintiffs’ replies are due within a week, so it seems that the Court is going to decide the ultimate issue relatively quickly.

Assessment

In many respects, S3235 aligns with ATACH's goals of regulating intoxicating hemp products, establishing age restrictions, and prohibiting synthetic THC. However, much is left to the rulemaking process, and how these products will be allowed, and restricted, is yet to fully take shape.

Thank you to the American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp for this information.

Hemp-Derived THC Products Now Illegal in California After OAL Approval

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:26:24 GMT

The state’s Office of Administrative Law approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency regulations to ban hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoid products.

Products containing hemp-derived intoxicating cannabinoids are now illegal in California after the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved Gov. Gavin Newsom’s emergency regulations on Sept. 23.

The regulations require that industrial hemp food, beverages and dietary supplements intended for human consumption have no detectable THC or any “comparable cannabinoid” per serving, have a minimum purchase age of 21 and have no more than five servings per package, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Intoxicating cannabis products may still be purchased by those 21 years and older at a California Department of Cannabis Control (DCC)-licensed dispensary. While products containing CBD are still allowed outside the licensed cannabis market, nonintoxicating CBD products with any traceable amount of THC are prohibited.

The CDPH proposed the regulations, which Newsom issued emergency rules for on Sept. 6, to “stop the peddling of intoxicating hemp products to California’s children,” according to a press release from the governor.

Read the entire article Cannabis Business Times .

An Examination of Cannabis Tax Policy Proposals

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:21:36 GMT

Thank you Whitney Economics for this Analysis.

There have been many questions about how certain changes in federal policies could influence cannabis operators, particularly from a tax and operations perspective. This month we thought we would take a look at a few of the proposed changes and their implications.

Rescheduling of Cannabis to Schedule 3.

The timing and rules associated with the change from Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 designation is still in flux. A hearing with the DEA will be held in Washington D.C. on December 2. Whitney Economics is in preliminary negotiations to provide expert testimony at this hearing.

One of the most talked about benefits of the rescheduling is the elimination of the IRC 280E-related taxes at the federal level. Based on an analysis we published in July, the cannabis industry is forecasted to pay an excess $2.4 billion in tax compared to what they would have paid without 280E in effect. If left unchecked, this is forecasted to increase to $3.6 billion by 2027 and $5.2 billion by 2030.

The elimination of 280E-related taxes would be beneficial to cannabis operators, particularly given the fact that there are an estimated $3.8 billion in delinquent payments (just between plant touching operators) and only 27.3% of current cannabis operators in the U.S. are profitable.

Key Provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017 Expire.

In 2017, legislation was passed in Congress to significantly cut taxes for many individuals and corporations in the U.S. Some of these were permanent cuts and some were temporary. The temporary cuts require periodic renewal to remain in force. The renewal period is set to expire in 2025, so without a renewal, personal income taxes will increase for most individuals.

Part of this legislation also included temporary tax cuts on deductions related to small business income. The TCJA provided a 20% deduction for qualified pass-through income (Read Section 199A here ) for sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S-corporations.

If the TCJA expires, this deduction will no longer be available. Many cannabis businesses are small businesses, so this could result in an increase in federal tax liabilities. Whitney Economics strongly recommends that operators in the cannabis space be prepared for this and assume these tax deductions will expire. It would be best to work with your CPAs and tax preparation experts to understand the significance of this issue and to prepare ahead of time.

Increase in Corporate Taxation from 21% to 28%.

While there are some parts of the TCJA that were temporary and required periodic renewal, some tax changes were permanent. One permanent rule was reducing the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. This was very beneficial to cannabis operators, as it lowered the overall effective tax rates. There is now a proposal to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. This introduces the possibility that even if rescheduling occurs, some of the tax benefits of rescheduling that would be derived from 280E reform may not be fully realized due to this corporate tax increase.

We ran the numbers - If 280E remains in place AND the tax increase is applied to all cannabis operators, this would result in a tax increase of $900 million in 2025 alone. We are not trying to sound the alarm too loudly. The Biden administration had aspirations to increase the corporate tax to 28%, but the increase never materialized.

Taxes are More Boring than Economics, but Important Nonetheless.

While taxes are the most mundane of topics at dinner parties and social events, they are a very significant topic for cannabis operators large or small. Hopefully, these three vignettes helped to articulate the impacts tax policy change may have and how important it is to stay abreast of this topic as a cannabis operator.

Learn more at the Whitney Economics website .

Maryland on Track to Join the Billion-Dollar Sales Club in 2024

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:34:22 GMT

11 States, including Maryland, Projected to Be Billion-Dollar Cannabis Markets in 2024

Eleven states are on pace to top the $1-billion benchmark in total retail sales at licensed cannabis dispensaries in 2024, including a pair of medical-only markets—Florida and Pennsylvania.

Maryland, which launched adult-use sales in July 2023, will be the newest state to join the billion-dollar sales club in 2024. The state’s licensed dispensaries are on pace to surpass $1.1 in sales, according to the Maryland Cannabis Administration.

Read the full article on Cannabis Business Times .

Investment Outlook for U.S. Adult Use and Medical Cannabis

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:37:34 GMT

Thank you Whitney Economics for this Analysis.

Whitney Economics will be publishing a report later this month examining the amount of investment required to support the growth of new licensees in the U.S. cannabis industry. Commissioned by CTRUST and Green Check Verified, the report projects the number of new licenses required by states each year through 2035. This report also breaks down the analysis by retail, product manufacturing and cultivation.

Preliminary findings were released last week at the PBC Banking Conference in Washington, D.C. The data shows that between 2025 and 2035, cannabis operators will require an additional $78 billion - $87 billion in start-up funding alone. An average of $6.9 billion per year will need to be funded between 2025 and 2030. In addition, previous investments to date will drive approximately $17 billion - $20 billion in refinancing of existing debt. This is the first time such an in depth forecast of this nature has been produced.

Another aspect of this report is the number of licenses required to support the growth (broken down in terms of retailers, cultivators or product manufacturers). Many states limit licenses to operators while other states are unlimited. Both strategies have their strengths and weaknesses as they often do not examine supply and demand factors in license issuance. In addition, state cannabis regulators have lost sight of operator health and viability in their licensing policies. As a result, based on a recent national survey conducted by Whitney Economics, only 27.3% of licensees nationwide are profitable. The W.E. considers the viability and sustainability of operators in its model. It calculates the number of licenses required to meet the current and future demand by sector.

Some of the licensing analysis we presented in D.C. included the fact that 16 states have already issued too many cultivation licenses for operators to be viable all the way through 2035, meaning there is already enough supply in those states to satisfy all of the demand for the next decade. How can this be sustainable for farmers?

There are several benefits to this type of analysis:

It can incentivize banks and other financial institutions to begin or increase the level of lending in the cannabis industry.
With greater participation by banks. it can increase competition on the lending side which will address the imbalance between supply and demand for capital. This will ultimately lower the cost of capital for the entire cannabis industry.
It can help operators and investors understand the risks in the market entry and investment strategies.
It can provide Congress with the data they need to articulate the importance of SAFE banking legislation.

The full U.S. cannabis debt report will be available prior to the upcoming Benzinga Investor Conference in October. Beau will be presenting additional findings and insights. When combined with the recently published delinquency report, the cannabis industry now has a much clearer picture of the financial health and opportunities in this U.S.

Learn more at the Whitney Economics website .

D.C.’s medical cannabis market sales still stuck in limbo

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 17:02:46 GMT

D.C.’s medical cannabis program continues to struggle along despite warnings of enforcement against competing illicit operators known as “gifting” stores.

A monthly metrics report from the D.C. government reported that program sales for this year in July were the lowest of the last four years.

Over 70 retail stores could open in the next four months, according to The Outlaw Report’s analysis . Registered patients have barely climbed since four new medical dispensaries opened this spring and summer. However, the opening of D.C.’s first testing lab could add more legitimacy to the program and attract more patients in the coming months.

Read the full article on The Outlaw Report here .

Weighing the Risks of Marketing Delta-8 and Similar Substances

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 17:00:51 GMT

Weighing the Risks of Marketing Delta-8 and Similar Substances

The reality is that the ambiguities in the 2018 Farm Bill and the lack of federal regulation of such substances have created a conundrum for those who market Delta-8 and similar substances, as well as for the cannabis industry, and for states that are weighing public safety against financial interests.

Read the article here .

Clearing the Pathway for Hemp Regulation

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 16:58:29 GMT

Clarifying congressional intent for THC is a necessary step toward cannabis reform

The U.S. Congress is caught up in a political haze over what to do with hemp.

Read Michael Bronstein's MJBiz article here .

What To Know About Cannabis Concentrates

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:23:30 GMT

Concentrates offer a potent and versatile way to experience the benefits of cannabis.

From the glass-like clarity of shatter to the granular texture of live resin sugar , or the crystalline allure of THCa isolate , each type of concentrate offers a unique experience shaped by its extraction process and cannabinoid composition.

Read the Ultimate Guide to Cannabis Concentrates from SunMed Growers here .

Fed plan to reschedule cannabis could save Md. businesses millions

Thu, 09 May 2024 16:20:53 GMT

The federal Drug Enforcement Adminis tration is considering rescheduling cannabis. Here's what it would mean for Maryland cannabis businesses.

Read Baltimore Business Journal article here .

Joy Strand to Speak at NECANN Maryland

Wed, 01 May 2024 21:59:53 GMT

Join Us at NECANN Maryland!

Executive Director of CANMD, Joy Strand, is serving as a panelist on the Mid-Atlantic Review: Maryland panel during NECANN Maryland.

Join CANMD at NECANN on May 3-4, 2024 to immerse yourself in the latest advancements and innovations in the cannabis industry and connect with industry experts.

Get tickets here .

President Biden Expands Cannabis Pardons

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 19:51:27 GMT

President Biden has expanded cannabi s pardons with a new proclamation covering offenses on federal property.

Read more here .

Maryland Association of Counties Responds to Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund Survey Results Report

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 19:27:00 GMT

Under the Cannabis Reform Act, counties have broad flexibility in determining how to allocate the funds, including working with local organizations to support marginalized communities.

While there are no local cannabis taxes in Maryland, the state does levy a 9 percent excise tax on any product containing cannabis. But, a mere five percent of state can nabis tax revenue goes to local governments. That translates to local governments receiving a mere 45 cents for a single purchase of $100 of cannabis- the smallest in the nation .

Read more here .

Office of Social Equity Released Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund Survey Results Report

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:47:40 GMT

The Office of Social Equity has issu ed the Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund Survey Results Report on how communities want to see cannabis tax revenue allocated.

The report provides valuable insight into the viewpoints and preferences shared by one thousand two hundred eighty-five (1,285) Maryland residents regarding which type o f comm unity-based services and organizations should be the primary beneficiaries of CRRF funding.

Read the r eport here .

Comptroller Issued Q3 Adult Use Cannabis Report

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:39:44 GMT

Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman Issued the first Quarterly Report (Q3) on tax revenue collected from adult-use cannabis sales in Maryland.

The State of Maryland collected more than $12 million in cannabis sales tax revenue between July and September 2023, the first quarter of sales. This revenue will be distributed in early 2024 to several funds as required by the Cannabis Reform Act of 2023.

Read more here .

Are edibles actually good for sleep?

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:49:17 GMT

Peake ReLeaf Executive Vice President Tracey Lancaster Miller and Founder and CEO of Standard Wellness Maryland Christina Betancourt Johnson joined Good Day DC to explore the question, are edibles actually good for sleep?

ATCC released new Information and Training Advisory on November 8

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 20:27:53 GMT

The November 8th ATCC Information and Training Advisory can be viewed here .

MCBA's Equity Workshop Tour Visits Baltimore

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 22:59:02 GMT

MCBA's Equity Workshop Tour visits Baltimore, MD on Thursday, October 26th.

Learn more and register here .

Maryland Cannabis Industry Breaks Another Record

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 19:32:20 GMT

The Maryland cannabis industry broke a record in the second month of legal adult use sales and sold over $91 million worth of products during August 2023.

Learn more here .

First Round of Adult-Use Cannabis Business Licenses

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 14:22:30 GMT

The first round of adult use cannabi s business license applications will open on November 13.

License awardees must be verified social equity applicants and will be chosen through a lottery system. Up to 179 grower, processor, and dispensary licenses will be available in the first round of adult use cannabis licensure. Learn more here .

Social Equity Verification Process

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:17:37 GMT

The Maryland Cannabis Administratio n and the Office of Social Equity have announced next steps for individuals interested in applying for a Maryland cannabis license .

Prospective applicants who want to apply for a grower, processor, or dispensary license in the first round must verify themselves as social equity applicants through the MCA portal between September 8 – November 7. Learn more here .

Maryland Wholesale Cannabis Trade Association Applauds HHS Recommendation to Reclassify Cannabis as a Schedule III Drug under the Controlled Substances Act

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:20:11 GMT

BALTIMORE, MD (September 1, 2023) – The Maryland Wholesale Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) applauds the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommendation to reclassify cannabis as a Schedule III drug from its current classification as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This recommendation signifies that HHS no longer considers cannabis a drug with high abuse potential and no medical value.

“The reclassification recommendation by the Department of Health and Human Services is a monumental step in the right direction by the federal government,” said Joy A. Strand, Executive Director of CANMD.

The HHS recommendation was preceded by a scientific review into the classification of cannabis, initiated by a directive from the Biden administration. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will review the recommendation as they have the final say on drug reclassification. If cannabis is reclassified as a Schedule III drug, it will reduce barriers to research and allow cannabis businesses to make federal tax deductions.

“We encourage the DEA to embrace the recommendation and begin the official reclassification process,” said Joy A. Strand. “It is time for the federal government to recognize the value of state cannabis markets and allow scientific research to further our knowledge of benefits and adverse outcomes of this plant.”

While medical and adult-use cannabis are legal in the State of Maryland, cannabis is still illegal and classified as a Schedule I drug by the federal government. This poses multiple barriers to the vitality of the Maryland cannabis industry, as well as the other 38 states with medical cannabis programs and 20 states that allow adult-use cannabis. Reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III drug would unlock beneficial tax opportunities for Maryland cannabis businesses, remove barriers to research, and symbolize the federal government’s evolving view of the cannabis industry.

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CULTA Job Fair

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 19:07:28 GMT

Come join us at the CULTA Job Fair! This in-person event is the perfect opportunity to explore the cannabis industry and find your next career move. We'll have several staff members present and ready to talk with you about open positions.

The fair will be held on Wed July 26 2023 at 12:00:00 PM, at Chesapeake Community College located at 418 Race Street, Room 101, Cambridge, MD 21613. Be sure to bring printed copies of your resume.

Who is CULTA? We are a vertically-integrated, top-shelf cannabis brand, home to CULTA's family of brands including CULTA, Old Pal, Robhots and Blissiva. In 2022, we were awarded the 2022 Best Grower and 2022 Best Place to Work in Maryland Cannabis by the team at Explore Maryland Cannabis.

Don't miss out on this chance to network and potentially land your dream job in the cannabis industry. We hope to see you there!

List of available jobs in Cambridge:

Grow Packagers
Indoor Cultivators
Outdoor Cultivators
Post-Harvest Associates

*All job candidates must be 21 years or older.

**Medical cannabis is for certified/qualifying patients only. Must be at least 21 years old to view content.

Learn more about the job fair here .

FTC Sends Cease and Desist Letters with FDA to Companies Selling Edible Products Containing Delta-8 THC in Packaging Nearly Identical to Food Children Eat

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 16:32:29 GMT

As part of its ongoing monitoring of health-related advertising claims, the Federal Trade Commission today sent cease and desist letters – jointly with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – to six companies currently marketing edible products containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in packaging that is almost identical to many snacks and candy children eat, including Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, and Nerds candy.

“Marketing edible THC products that can be easily mistaken by children for regular foods is reckless and illegal,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies must ensure that their products are marketed safely and responsibly, especially when it comes to protecting the well-being of children.”

“Children are more vulnerable than adults to the effects of THC, with many who have been sickened and even hospitalized after eating ‘edibles’ containing it. That’s why we’re issuing warnings to several companies selling copycat food products containing delta-8 THC, which can be easily mistaken for popular foods that are appealing to children and can make it easy for a young child to ingest in very high doses without realizing it,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., Principal Deputy Commissioner, FDA.

Read the entire press release on the FTC website .

If you see a business engaging in fraudulent and/or unsafe practices, you can report them here: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ .

MDOT Press Release: High Driving is Impaired Driving

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 18:59:04 GMT

The Motor Vehicle Administration's Highway Safety Office is reminding Marylanders that even though the recreational adult-use of cannabis is legal in Maryland beginning July 1, cannabis use in a motor vehicle by a driver or passenger remains illegal under Maryland law. Law enforcement officers can make a cannabis DUI arrest if they observe impairment. In addition to risking injury or death for themselves and others, those driving under the influence risk arrest, jail time, legal costs and fines.

The Highway Safety Office is using billboards, social media and other means to educate people that alcohol, cannabis and even prescription drugs can lead to impaired driving. More information on cannabis-impairment can be found at ZeroDeathsMD.gov/Cannabis .

Through its engagement c ampaign, the agency is reminding residents of the most common causes of crashes and fatalities – all of which are preventable – and how they can “Be the Driver" who saves lives by practicing safe habits:

Be the SOBER Driver or Be the MAKE A PLAN Driver: Driving impaired is illegal and 100% preventable. If you drink, use cannabis or take prescription drugs that may impair your abilities, make a plan for a sober ride home.
Be the FOCUSED Driver: While the most common distraction is cellphone use, distractions from other passengers, eating or adjusting the music/radio contribute to nearly 30% of roadway fatalities.
Be the SLOW Down Driver: Increased speeds cause increased severity of crashes. Slow down to ensure you have enough time to react to situations around you.
Be the BUCKLED UP Driver: Every trip, every occupant.

Learn more about the Highway Safety Office's commitment to zero deaths on Maryland roadways at ZeroDeathsMD.gov and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at zerodeathsmd.

Read the press release on the Maryland Department of Transportation's website .

‘It’s going to be hot’: Maryland cannabis firms stockpile and staff up for big demand starting Saturday

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:11:03 GMT

Along a flat road in rural Cecil County, where the sky is big and the towns are small, stands a long, nondescript building. Inside is one of the most important cultivation and processing operations for Maryland’s new cash crop — cannabis.

SunMed Growers and its 150 employees are harvesting, testing and packaging as many products as they can in preparation for Saturday. That’s when any individual 21 or older will be able to buy vapes, gummies, pre-rolled joints, edibles and more from about 100 dispensaries statewide.

Dispensaries are preparing for a flood of customers, ranging from lifelong users stepping out of the illicit market to curious newcomers, plus shoppers from states such as Virginia and Pennsylvania that don’t have recreational markets.

Long lines at dispensaries are expected, and SunMed owner Jake Van Wingerden wants to make sure no stores run out of product. That means stockpiling flower, adding a shift for packaging, buying more delivery vehicles, and building a $16 million, 25,000-square-foot facility to make edible products.

Read the entire article on The Baltimore Sun .

SunMed Growers expands with $16M cannabis edibles factory

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 19:41:56 GMT

Maryland’s largest producer of cannabis is investing millions to build a Cecil County factory that will make edibles to meet anticipated demand for the July 1 debut of the state's recreational market.

SunMed Growers President Jake Van Wingerden said he is building a $16 million, 25,000-square-foot factory as part of the company's 500,000 square-foot complex at 127 Worsell Manor Road in Warwick to churn out edibles. Edibles, like baked goods or candies infused with the drug, offer an easy first step for customers curious about cannabis since they are not smoked and often do not have the harsh smell of traditional cannabis.

"The vast majority of people in this country do not smoke," Van Wingerden said. "But everybody eats."

The site will likely employ between 30 to 50 people once it’s operational within the next few weeks, Van Wingerden said. SunMed has raised $6.3 million out of an $8 million venture capital debt round to hire more people and purchase supplies to meet the anticipated demands of the recreational market. SunMed already produces processed forms of cannabis, like vape pens, pre-rolled joints and concentrates, but this is its first attempt at edibles. Van Wingerden plans to move production of vape pens and similar products from a temporary facility into the $16 million factory. The SunMed edibles line will include gummies, chocolates and baked goods.

Edibles are already part of the medical industry, but regulators are concerned abou t their impact on public health . The high from edibles is different than smoked flower , with a longer delay between consumption of the product and the "high" and longer-lasting effects. Children or pets can also mistake edibles for normal chocolates or gummies and accidentally consume the drug.

Maryland has several regulations surrounding edibles to try to limit accidental consumption, including that the drugs cannot resemble a mascot or character and that each dosage has to be in its own separate packaging.

Along with a massive increase in the domestic market, Maryland may see an influx of "cannabis tourism" from neighboring states like Pennsylvania or West Virginia that don't have legal recreational use, Van Wingerden said.

An influx of new customers is an opportunity for many cannabis businesses to recover after several years of lower profits due to the oversupply of cannabis, the Covid-19 pandemic and the unique tax and financing issues cannabis businesses face as a federally illegal industry. Many states across the country are dealing with an oversupply of cannabis as more producers come online but that glut could quickly reverse into a shortfall once thousands of new customers enter the market.

“We are going from the current medical population of around 160,000 people to potentially millions of people, even if they buy it as a novelty,” Van Wingerden said.

Baltimore’s CFG Bank has grown its own way, quadrupling in size in just a few years

Thu, 18 May 2023 18:24:45 GMT

Just about every bank based in the Baltimore region is about the same size as it was five years ago, or a little bigger, save one — CFG Bank more than quadrupled its assets, deposits and profits since the end of 2018.

With about $4.25 billion in assets at the end of last year, CFG remains a small player nationally , but the Baltimore County bank has blossomed into the biggest bank headquartered in the metropolitan area and fourth biggest in Maryland, even as rising interest rates, depositor worries and bank failures roil the industry.

Recently, CFG has taken steps to boost its profile to match its growth. The bank bought the naming rights for the newly renovated CFG Bank Arena in downtown Baltimore and is moving its headquarters to the Baltimore Peninsula project in Port Covington.

The privately owned bank’s story started decades ago when Jack Dwyer, now 66, went to work for the health care lending subsidiary of a Maryland bank and quickly realized the opportunity in nursing homes: baby boomers needed places to live when they aged.

“You can build a nursing home every day … for the next like 35, 40 years, and you can never meet the demand that’s out there,” Dwyer thought at the time.

The federal government helps finance the acquisition, renovation and construction of nursing homes, but Dwyer said it can take a year to get the paperwork approved. He formed Capital Funding Group to become a bridge lender for the nursing home industry.

During the 2007-2008 financial crisis, his credit dried up, Dwyer said, and he never wanted to put himself in that position again. “‘I’m gonna buy a bank,’” Dwyer recalled thinking. “A few of my friends told me I was out of my mind. But I didn’t think so.”

In 2009, Dwyer’s company bought AmericasBank , a Baltimore County bank that had loaded up on home mortgages as the housing market collapsed. He changed the bank’s strategy, steadily growing lending to the nursing home industry.

Soon, he realized he was losing out on bigger deals. As a small bank, CFG couldn’t lend a billion dollars to a company trying to complete a merger. There are regulations about loan size and capitalization requirements. Instead, the bank was forced to syndicate such loans, which meant cobbling together the money for a loan from several other banks. Dwyer said most businesses would rather just go to a big bank that could loan the money outright.

So he came up with a way to lend like a big bank. Dwyer said CFG partnered with a New York-based institutional investor to raise billions of dollars for a fund controlled by another Capital Funding Group subsidiary. CFG declined to name that partner. The fund effectively gives CFG more leverage to make bigger loans, he said, allowing CFG to make more money from origination and management fees.

During the coronavirus pandemic, CFG would have been limited by the size of its deposits to making loans worth tens of millions of dollars, Dwyer said. Instead, the bank was able to finance a $660 million deal in 2021 for the acquisition of a group of nursing homes in Virginia. The bank declined to release more information about the deal, but its executives explained how such deals generally work.

When CFG originates a big loan, that loan is immediately securitized, meaning split into different tranches, organized by risk, and sold. The fund — which is not on the bank’s balance sheet — takes the “B-Piece,” the riskier tranche that is last to be repaid, while segments of the “A-Piece” go to investors. CFG holds onto 5% of the loan.

“No little banks do anything like that,” Dwyer said. “To our knowledge, we’re the only one really doing that.”

Dwyer said CFG’s fund helped it land bigger deals, while retaining the personal touch of a small bank. “

[Our clients] can pick up the phone and call me anytime they want. And they do,” Dwyer said. “That typically doesn’t happen at a big bank. Sometimes you struggle to even figure out who you can talk to.”

From 2018 to 2022, CFG’s assets grew from $832 million to $4.25 billion. Profits rose from $25 million to $114 million.

No bank in the Baltimore region comes close to matching that rate of growth, and CFG’s leadership team expects to keep growing

That growth comes as the banking industry is coming under increasing scrutiny. Three fast-growing banks elsewhere failed this year and interest rates continue to rise to their highest level in more than 15 years, squeezing bank margins.

The three failed banks were all relatively large — each had more than $100 billion in assets — but Michael Faulkender, a professor and former U.S. Treasury official, said this latest banking crisis could affect institutions of all sizes.

Faulkender, the dean’s professor of finance at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, said there is a balancing act at the core of nearly every lender. Any bank can tip into trouble if it has too many long-term assets and short-term depositors pull out their money, he said.

Silicon Valley Bank, for example, failed in March because it purchased a large amount of U.S. Treasury bonds during the pandemic, when interest rates were at historic lows, Faulkender said. As interest rates rose, these long-term securities lost value, he said, spooking depositors who withdrew their money. In other words, there was a bank run.

“That liquidity transformation issue is the fundamental challenge in banking,” Faulkender said. “Anybody could be caught in that dilemma if you are doing any kind of low-interest lending funded out of deposits.”

But unlike Silicon Valley Bank, CFG Bank has not loaded up on low-interest, long-term securities and its portfolio is relatively diversified, said Mary Ann Scully, a former banker and dean of Loyola University Maryland’s business school. Scully founded Howard Bank in 2004, steadily growing the bank until its sale to First National Bank of Pennsylvania in 2021 .

Scully said she knows the team running CFG Bank and reviewed some of its public filings.

“I really admire what they’ve done in the last few years,” said Scully, whose Howard Bank in 2017 acquired the first Maryland bank — 1st Mariner — to buy naming rights for what was then known as the Baltimore Arena .

According to CEO Bill Wiedel, CFG’s loan portfolio is about 40% in health care and 20% in apartments, with the remainder being traditional banking services. CFG is one of the few Maryland banks working with the cannabis industry; the drug remains illegal federally. It is a growing segment, Wiedel said, but is less than 5% of its loan portfolio.

Despite its growth, CFG is a relatively small fish in Baltimore banking. Like most metro areas, the region is dominated by national firms, including Bank of America, M&T Bank, Truist Bank, PNC Bank and Wells Fargo. In 2022, those five banks collectively had more than 350 branches and held nearly 80% of all the deposits in the Baltimore metro area, according to federal regulators .

CFG, meanwhile, held 2.6% of the region’s deposits, making it the metro area’s seventh-biggest bank by market share, but the largest one based locally. Unlike those bigger banks, CFG has resisted expanding its physical footprint, with just two branches and a cashless office in Annapolis. That’s fewer than almost every bank headquartered in Maryland.

“We actually look at that, in a weird way, as a benefit. And that’s what enables us to pay 5% on our money market rate, quite frankly. Because we don’t have the expense of a huge branch network,” Wiedel said. “With all the electronic banking that’s out there now, branches just aren’t as valuable as they used to be.”

That’s not a normal bank strategy, said Bert Ely, a banking consultant based in Alexandria, Virginia. “It’s an atypical banking strategy for a bank its size, which is not bad, it’s just not typical,” Ely said. “Every bank has risks. This bank has a somewhat atypical risk profile by virtue of how it’s operating.”

Most banks expand through mergers and opening more branches, Ely said, and it’s rare for a multibillion dollar bank of CFG’s size to be privately owned. Still, after reviewing its financial reports, Ely called it a “good, solid bank.”

CFG Bank plans to add a branch at its new headquarters at Baltimore Peninsula, a 235-acre development in South Baltimore. CFG will move 250 workers there from an office in the Bare Hills area just north of the Baltimore County line.

The bank also planted a flag downtown with the new name on the arena, negotiated in a private deal with the company that manages the facility .

Colin Tarbert, CEO of the Baltimore Development Corp., called these decisions a “great signal from the private sector that Baltimore has a bright future.”

“I don’t think a company like CFG Bank, which is clearly growing, would move to Baltimore City if they didn’t think the city was also on a great track,” Tarbert said.

As for the future, Dwyer said his bank is raising three additional funds to lend more aggressively in senior living, apartment buildings and cannabis. “This is going to be the opportunity of a lifetime,” Dwyer said. “Most banks are on the sidelines.”

Read article from source, The Baltimore Sun

Maryland Medical Operators Reflect on State's Adult-Use Rollout

Wed, 10 May 2023 17:29:54 GMT

Allison Siegel of CULTA and Hope Wiseman of Mary and Main discuss the state's program and how they are preparing their business for the adult-use rollout.

Maryland is slated to launch adult-use sales July 1 through its existing medical cannabis dispensaries.

Following Gov. Wes Moore signing Amendment 3 into law on May 3, Cannabis Business Times spoke with Allison Siegel, CEO of CULTA, a Maryland-based vertically integrated cannabis company, and Hope Wiseman, owner of Mary and Main , a Maryland-based dispensary, to discuss the state's program and how they are preparing their business for the adult-use rollout.

Into the Weeds

Wiseman and Siegel expressed satisfaction with the regulations established for the state's forthcoming adult-use program. They specifically mentioned that the legislators took the time to develop rules that address essential issues such as social equity, medical cannabis patients, sales tax and more.

"It was a very important bill for the legislators to get approved so we can have legalization by July 1,” Siegel says. “First of all, it needed to be structured with a goal to get cannabis products out of the unregulated market or illicit market with a plan; and on top of that, with a plan to right the wrongs of the harm due to the war on drugs, which is taken to specific communities. I personally feel our legislators took both of those to heart, and they really didn't look at this legislation as a profit center for the state."

Maryland will host two licensing rounds to issue adult-use cannabis business licenses. The first round is expected to launch Jan. 1, 2024, and will be dedicated to social equity applicants.

The measure also establishes a social equity office that operates separately from the Maryland Cannabis Administration, which oversees the medical and adult-use markets. The social equity office will provide small business consulting and free technical support to help increase industry participation from those in underrepresented communities.

Moreover, the state set aside $80 million to support social equity cannabis businesses and has established "loan default provisions to protect banks that invest in entrepreneurs involved in the social equity program," Cannabis Business Times reported .

"We're coming out of prohibition, so things are not going to be a free market open for anyone to do whatever they want, and I think that this legislation is still pretty inclusive when it comes to making sure that it's an equitable program, that there's diversity in the program, [and] that the tax revenue is going to the people who deserve it," Wiseman says. "I think Maryland is doing it right from that perspective. Also, they're not overtaxing, which sometimes makes it difficult for the program to be successful."

The measure places a 9% sales tax on adult-use sales, and the tax revenue generated from the adult-use market will be used to cover the cost of overseeing the cannabis program. The state would distribute additional funds to other areas. Still, the measure requires that 35% of those extra funds are dedicated to a Community Reinvestment and Repair fund that would reinvest in communities disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs, CBT reported. Municipalities will also receive a portion of the tax revenue collected in their counties.

"While there will be a tax, they really did their research and took pieces of other state's programs that worked, and then they ensured that we didn't copy those that aren't working," Siegel said. "So, I'm really thankful, pleased, and impressed with how our legislators went about this."

Market Challenges

The measure would allow on-site consumption lounges, but smoking would be prohibited, which could present a challenge for operators, Siegel says.

She says another challenge for existing medical operators, specifically, is the fee to convert their business from medical to adult-use. On July 1, the state's existing roughly 100 medical cannabis dispensaries will be able to convert their licenses to serve the broader adult-use market. Still, according to the measure, they must pay a conversion fee, which will vary depending on each business's gross revenue for 2022.

Dispensaries will have to pay 8% of their gross revenue for 2022, while growers and processors will have to pay 10%, according to the bill.

"Based on the last 12 months of significant [price] compression … along with 280E, making the tax burden, especially in dispensaries, as high as 70%, I think finding the cash to pay this fee is going to be very tough for a lot of operators," Siegel says.

Wiseman says she thinks it will take time for Maryland to expand its brand and product portfolio.

"People are used to, when they think of recreational, they often think of West Coast markets like Colorado and California, and those markets have a lot of variety and different brands. I think Maryland will take some time to ramp up on all the different brands and different things,"

Wiseman says. "I feel like right now the market is heavily driven by price, not as much by brands or actually, I wouldn't even say driven really by the quality of the product. I think that that will change going into adult use."

Wiseman anticipates brand and product quality to be highly important to adult-use consumers and says operators will have to shift their mindset.

"It's not so much about these discount wars that we've been in," she says. "I feel like we've been in this race to the bottom, and now that adult-use is here, you just have a much wider customer base. I think we're going to see brands emerge and more experiential marketing, and I think you're going to see cannabis come more to the mainstream in Maryland."

Preparing for the Launch

Currently, on the retail side, CULTA is working on implementing processes to mitigate the anticipated increase in traffic flow and expanding its workforce.

"I was not here when medical started, but I know that there were times that there were reports, not just from CULTA, but from many dispensaries, of traffic, lines of people, parking lots jammed up, [and] we really want to try not to frustrate the potential customers as well as the other businesses around us," Siegel says.

On the grow and processing side, the company is working to build up as much supply as possible to meet adult-use demand.

"We really want everyone to have access to CULTA’s high-quality flower and lab products," Siegel says. "So, we're just doing the best we can. We can't make the plants grow faster or expand our canopy quickly, so we have to do what we can with what we have. And so that's really our main focus."

Mary and Main is also working on processes to alleviate the increase in traffic flow, which Wiseman anticipates will be quadruple what the dispensary currently sees.

"We're really looking at improving the customer experience, even when we have more volume. Our store is a heavy educational store. We have customers that come in and spend 10, 15, 20 minutes with us, and we just have to learn how to maintain that," Wiseman says. "We want you to feel like you can come in, talk to us, ask questions, and really learn about cannabis.

But at the same time, we want to be able to quickly serve everybody and give them the retail experience they expect when they enter the store. So, that's been our focus, just training everyone and creating the space in our store for different types of customers, those who really want to learn, those who know what they want, and [those who] want to come in and out and have a quick and fast and safe experience."

CULTA and Mary and Main are also heavily prioritizing their medical patients during the process of converting to adult use to ensure they have similar, or even better, experiences than before the adult-use launch.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, Wiseman says the company is working to create high-quality products and getting the products on shelves in Maryland through its parent company, WISECO, which has a manufacturing license in New Jersey.

“WISEOCO’s goal is to be able to create products and get them on shelves. So, right now, we're really focused on Maryland and going as deep and wide as we can. We want to create supply chain opportunities that include other people," Wiseman says. "We care more about just creating that supply chain and creating those experiences and those products that people can really enjoy. I know everyone looks at us as retailers, and we have become really good at that, but we want to partner with other people that want to be retailers."

As for CULTA, in the short term, the company's primary focus is to continue producing high-quality, premium products in Maryland.

"We pride ourselves on not only growing very sought-after cannabis but finding partnerships that also have sought-after genetics or other products, as well as finding the right third-party products in our dispensaries to offer to our customers or patients," Siegel says.

Statement on the Passage HB 556 and SB 516 to Implement Adult Use Cannabis

Sun, 09 Apr 2023 00:54:44 GMT

Adult Use Cannabis Legislation is headed to the Governor’s Desk

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 8, 2023) – The Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) Executive Director Joy A. Strand released the following statement today on the passage of House Bill 556 and Senate Bill 516 to implement Adult Use Cannabis in the State of Maryland.

“The Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) wants to thank the Presiding Officers, bill sponsors, and members of the legislative workgroups for their tireless and coordinated efforts to pass the Cannabis Reform Act during the 445 session of the Maryland General Assembly.

“The bill works to expand social equity, allows for Adult Use sales by July 1, 2023, to counter the illicit market, and includes essential testing requirements for all products in the Adult Use market to protect public health and public safety.

“CANMD supports the work ahead to build additional social equity and diversity in the Maryland cannabis industry. We look forward to welcoming and engaging with those entering the cannabis industry.”

Media Contact:

Rick Abbruzzese

ra@kopublicaffairs.com

410-790-5002

Statement on the HB 556 and SB 516 to Implement Adult Use

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 01:59:52 GMT

Statement on the HB 556 and SB 516 to Implement Adult Use

ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 3, 2023) – The Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) Executive Director Joy Strand released the following statement today on the introduction of House Bill 556 and Senate Bill 516 to implement Adult Use in the State of Maryland.

“The Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) is committed to working with interested stakeholders and the Maryland General Assembly to implement the Adult Use cannabis program in the State of Maryland during the 2023 legislative session.

“We want to thank Presiding Officers, bill sponsors, and members of the legislative workgroups for their tireless and coordinated efforts to introduce the Cannabis Reform Act for consideration by the Maryland General Assembly.

“CANMD supports the urgent work ahead to build additional social equity and diversity in expanding a well-regulated Maryland cannabis industry.

The bill, as drafted, works to expand social equity, allows for Adult Use sales by July 1, 2023, to counter the illicit market and includes essential testing requirements for all products in the Adult Use market to protect public health and public safety.

CANMD looks forward to engaging on these critical issues with the Maryland General Assembly, the Governor and Maryland regulators in the weeks and months ahead.”

###

Md. cannabis firms CULTA, Blissiva form partnership

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:25:42 GMT

CULTA, a Cambridge-based craft producer of cannabis and extracts, Monday announced a partnership with Blissiva, a woman-owned cannabis company in Cockeysville.

Founded in 2018 by entrepreneurs Gina Dubbé and Dr. Leslie Apgar, Blissiva develops cannabis-infused products specifically designed for the female body and mind.

With more than 20 years of experience in obstetrics and gynecology, Apgar has a unique advantage in understanding the needs of women of all ages. She has helped women reclaim their health and vitality and target concerns of women from childbearing age through menopause and beyond, including endometriosis, sexual dysfunction, PMS and anxiety.

As part of the partnership, CULTA will be manufacturing the Blissiva Balance 0.5g vape cartridge in vanilla flavor. With a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio, the Balance pen was designed to help women manage issues such as anxiety and sleeplessness.

The vape cartridges were first introduced as a product exclusive at CULTA’s Baltimore dispensary and the Greenhouse Wellness dispensary in Ellicott City in December 2022, before being released statewide in January.

Experts Predict New York Cannabis Taxes Will Undercut Legal Market

Sat, 17 Dec 2022 02:06:49 GMT

Experts Predict New York Cannabis Taxes Will Undercut Legal Market

Prices of legal recreational cannabis across New York will likely be at least twice as much as marijuana sold by unlicensed dealers and smoke shops, which will lead to a struggle for survival for much of the industry, according to a white paper authored by a pair of tax attorneys.

Maryland's largest cannabis farm shows how pristine, precise production process is

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 17:23:14 GMT

WARWICK, Md. -- WBAL-TV 11 News takes you inside Maryland's largest marijuana grow farm, where the biggest takeaway is just how pristine and precise the cannabis production process is in the state.

It is highly regulated with every plant is accounted for from start to finish.

Jake Van Wingerden's family has been in the plant business in Cecil County for three generations, growing petunias, marigolds and geraniums.

Now, they cultivate a different kind of flower: Cannabis.

"We give it fertilizer, we give it light, we give it water, we give it optimal environments and it does its thing. We don't do anything special to it, other than treat it very, very kindly," Wingerden said.

Wingerden's company, SunMed Growers, earned one of the original 15 grower licenses in Maryland, and his operation is vast with 500,000 square feet of buildings and about 400,000 square feet of growing space. It's the largest growing operation in Maryland. It takes about 20 weeks from planting a cutting from the mother plant to packaging a product ready for sale.

"The bud is what's the fruit, the good stuff," Wingerden said.

SunMed produces vape pens, edibles, flowers, pre-rolls and joints. The process is pristine and meticulous, and the state requires a "seed-to-sale" system.

"(There's a) little metric tag -- that's the yellow tag -- and that goes into the state tracking system. We've been tracking it all along. We know what plant that plant came from in the mother room, where those buds go to, all the way to the end consumer," Wingerden said. "So, we have the ability, if there's a problem with products in the marketplace, there is complete seed-to-sale tracking. If there's a recall, we can go all the way back to the source plant."

Every plant that grows at SunMed is accounted for -- it can't disappear out the back door.

SunMed Growers employs 120 people, some of whom nurture the plants, some flash freeze buds that will be used for oils and edibles, or hand trim flowers. Others run a computerized machine that makes pre-rolls or work an assembly line packaging vape pens. A product doesn't leave the facility unless the potency is verified.

"We test every gram of cannabis that comes out of here," Wingerden said.

He knows how to grow cannabis economically and efficiently but has never tried marijuana himself.

"No, I'm a grower. I'm a businessman," Wingerden said.

Wingerden said he has much confidence in the safety of his products, but he worries what might happen if the legalization of recreational marijuana is passed but not acted on quickly by the state Legislature.

"If it gets decriminalized in July, people are going to assume they can walk into a dispensary and buy it. And if they can't, I think the public will be disappointed and they may turn to alternate means of procuring this product that they voted for," Wingerden said.

Many business owners who are already established in the industry, like Wingerden, hope if Question 4 passes, the regulations and process remain exactly the same. The only difference would be what happens at the checkout at dispensaries, some suggest those with medical cards don't pay sales tax while recreational users do. State legislators would have to figure that out when they reconvene in January.

Link to full article

Medical Cannabis Association Elects New Chair and Executive Board

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 01:10:07 GMT

Medical Cannabis Association Elects New Chair and Executive Board

Medical Cannabis Association Elects New Chair and Executive Board
Jake Van Wingerden to serve as Chair; Members of CANMD elected to leadership roles

The Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association (CANMD) elected a new chair and executive committee during a meeting of its full board earlier today.

Jake Van Wingerden, President of SunMed Growers and longtime board member has been elected as Chair of the Board and will replace Mackie Barch, who has served as Chair since 2018. Christina Johnson, Founder and CEO, Standard Wellness is the new Vice-Chair.

“I’m excited to serve as Chair of the Maryland Wholesale Medical Cannabis Trade Association again. I want to thank outgoing Chair Mackie Barch for his leadership over the last few years and the entire executive board for their commitment to CANMD and Maryland’s medical cannabis patients,” said Van Wingerden. “As we look to the future, CANMD is committed to supporting the adult-use referendum while ensuring that Marylanders have access to high-quality, medical cannabis that meets the strict testing criteria of Maryland’s Medical Cannabis Commission.”

“It is an honor to be selected to serve as Vice Chair of CANMD,” said Christina B. Johnson, Founder and CEO of Standard Wellness Maryland. “I look forward to working with CANMD member companies, our elected officials, and our broader community to ensure a sustainable, equitable, and thriving sector while supporting the adult use referendum in our state.”

Additional officers include Wendy Bronfein, Co-Founder of Curio Wellness as Secretary; Eric Ross, Chief Financial Officer at District Cannabis as Treasurer; and At-Large Board Members, Rebecca Brown, Vice-President of Market Expansion at Green Thumb; Venus Hemachandra, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Herbiculture Inc.; and Mackie Barch, Co-Founder and Chief Cannabis Officer at CULTA.

Under the direction of executive committee, CANMD will continue to be a resource for patients, providers and elected officials on the benefits of medical cannabis, the processes for registration and certification and new scientific research. Additionally, the promotion of public policy and standards that prioritize patient access and foster an accountable and innovative medical cannabis industry in Maryland will continue to be the focus of the association.

Maryland Elections Officials Finalize Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Measure for November Ballot

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 01:14:52 GMT

Maryland Elections Officials Finalize Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Measure for November Ballot

Maryland Secretary of State John Wobensmith officially certified an adult-use cannabis legalization measure for the state’s November ballot Aug. 2.

Elections officials finalized the language for the referendum, as well as issued a formal summary of the proposal, which was initiated by the General Assembly earlier this year.

What is next for cannabis legislation in Maryland?

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 01:17:19 GMT

What is next for cannabis legislation in Maryland?

Mackie Barch and Christina Johnson tell Nestor about CANMD local goals for cannabis industry.

Maryland likely wouldn’t get a recreational marijuana industry until 2024 at the earliest

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 01:24:22 GMT

Maryland likely wouldn’t get a recreational marijuana industry until 2024 at the earliest

When Marylanders vote in November, they are expected to overwhelmingly support a referendum that would legalize adult-use cannabis. But that doesn’t mean you’d be able to walk into a dispensary and buy a joint the next day.

A medical cannabis industry group is sounding the alarm that if lawmakers don’t hammer out details this summer, the recreational industry won’t launch until 2025 — or later.

These minority-owned medical cannabis firms fought for a license for two years. Now the hard work begins.

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 01:29:04 GMT

These minority-owned medical cannabis firms fought for a license for two years. Now the hard work begins.

Ciara Dubbé hugged one of her employees upon learning she had been pre-approved for a Maryland medical cannabis license and would be able to start her own company.

“As a woman of color, I want every little girl to know, do not give up,” Dubbé said. “It means so much more than just the license.”

There is a rapidly expanding, virtually unregulated competitor to medical cannabis in Maryland. It’s called Delta-8

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:35:16 GMT

There is a rapidly expanding, virtually unregulated competitor to medical cannabis in Maryland. It’s called Delta-8.

“As the state’s medical cannabis regulator, we receive a lot of calls, emails, other correspondence from patients and parents concerned about what they think are medical cannabis products,” Tilburg said. “In actuality, they end up being Delta-8 THC products. … They are untested, unregulated and it’s unknown largely what is within them.”

He said a Maryland woman ended up hospitalized because of Delta-8. The woman later took the product to an independent lab, which said it contained copper, a potentially fatal metal that shuts down the liver, Tilburg said.

The CDC issued a health alert in September about Delta-8, saying there were 660 adverse events related to Delta-8 reported from January through July 2021, including 119 hospitalizations. Nearly 40% of the adverse events involved people under 18.

Franchising Social Equity

Thu, 05 May 2022 01:37:22 GMT

Franchising Social Equity

Curio Wellness, a vertically integrated Maryland medical cannabis company, gives us an example of how this franchising model could operate. Curio created a social-equity fund that would allow applicants to own the franchise. The 30-million-dollar fund will be able to provide up to 93 percent of the startup capital needed for a location, meaning that the applicant needs much less of their own initial funding to get involved.

Marijuana industry will add nearly $100 billion to US economy in 2022

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 01:39:44 GMT

Marijuana industry will add nearly $100 billion to US economy in 2022

When considering whether to approve a regulated marijuana industry, advocates often tout the broader economic benefits of the additional tax revenue created. But the beneficial impact exceeds just tax dollars. The total U.S. economic impact from marijuana sales in 2022 is expected to reach $99 billion – up more than 20% from last year – and upwards of $155 billion in 2026, according to analysis from the newly published MJBiz Factbook .

Why did the cannabis industry blossom during the pandemic?

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 01:41:56 GMT

Why did the cannabis industry blossom during the pandemic?

The Covid years have been very good for the cannabis industry. According to cannabis market research firm BDSA, global legal cannabis sales in 2020 were 45% higher than in 2019, with several leading cannabis companies reporting triple-digit growth in revenues in 2020 over the previous year. These included Trulieve Cannabis, Curaleaf, Verano, Cresco Labs, Green Thumb Industries and TerrAscend.

Going green, growing greens: How the cannabis industry is addressing its energy problem

Thu, 28 Oct 2021 17:18:22 GMT

According to a nearly ubiquitously reported study , the cannabis industry has an energy problem.

OCTOBER 28, 2021

JAKE ELLISON

According to a nearly ubiquitously reported study , the cannabis industry has an energy problem. Indoor growing, the study authors write, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions in a “range, based on location, from 2,283 to 5,184 Kg CO2-equivalent per kg of dried flower.”

So, what does that mean? In short, it’s a lot of greenhouse gasses pumped into our already loaded skies, from Southern California (lowest emissions) to Hawaii (highest). The Colorado State University researchers added in a companion story to their study that an ounce of cannabis grown in Hawaii is like burning 16 gallons of gas.

Also, indoor-grown flower was nearly half of the $19 billion 2020 market . Indoor growing is widely expected to become the majority growing method as its light, climate and other quality controls make for much-desired, crystal-covered, high-THC buds. And, these indoor crops can be produced in multiple crops a year, regardless of what the weather outside is.

“It’s a good study,” said Shawn Cooney , an indoor farmer in Boston and founding member of the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition , emphasizing the Colorado study’s effort to document not only energy use but also how that energy is produced where the farm is located. If the energy grid in the region is coal-based, then the carbon footprint of the farm will be higher.

“It’s just the beginning of people looking at the business and not rationalizing (the issue) away but saying, ‘How can we make this a better industry?’ At that point you can start talking about where the industry is headed, as opposed to cringing every time some university professor writes a paper,” Cooney said.

While scientific studies looking at the impact of the still-emerging cannabis industry can motivate growers, consumers and policymakers to shape the market for a more sustainable future, growers are already motivated to reduce their energy use. Not only is energy expensive, Cooney points out, but growers know they need to establish best practices for their industry that regulators can follow, rather than regulators continuing to place demands on businesses at the behest of policymakers.

The circumstances around cannabis growing are also important to understand as scrutiny of the industry’s energy use grows. First, cannabis is illegal federally, so growers have to work within the energy grid and climate of the state they sell in. Each state and community has a matrix of rules unique to them and many of those rules make outdoor growing difficult if not impossible. While outdoor and greenhouse farms are where the majority of cannabis is grown , a lot of communities don’t want to see, smell or worry about kids getting into an outdoor cannabis patch.

“In contrast to other agricultural commodities in California,” writes the author of a 2020 San Jose State University study reviewing the latticework of policies around cannabis in that state, “the cannabis industry has not benefitted from publicly funded agricultural research on how to better optimize production in various cultivation settings.”

Yet, nationally, the illegal and legal markets in the U.S. are estimated to hit $66 billion by 2025, with only roughly half of that being legally grown.

“As the cannabis industry continues to grow, its negative externalities will continue to grow as well,” the study author concludes, “unless local governments develop regulatory policies that drive energy efficiencies and sustainability.”

So the race is on.

California may be first out of the gate to attempt a comprehensive review of energy use by growers by 2022, and establish standards for renewable energy by 2023, requiring growers to buy carbon offsets if they can’t meet these standards.

“Greenhouse and outdoor cultivation can drastically reduce (greenhouse gas) emissions by avoiding the practice of indoor cannabis cultivation altogether,” the Colorado study authors add.

“I see the future of cannabis being grown indoors all over the country, and that’s going to hurt,” said Dan Mcdonell owner of Maconha Farms in Mendocino County, Calif. “I think taking into account that the amount of energy consumed in a pound of indoor cannabis is significant, I don’t know, maybe it should be outlawed outright.”

Mcdonell runs 16 greenhouses and argues that outdoor and greenhouse-grown cannabis can fulfill consumer demands if allowed to grow wherever the climate works, like the wine industry, while acknowledging that water demands can be an issue for these growing platforms.

“This plant is meant to be in the sun, not inside under artificial lights,” Mcdonell said, adding that the quality of outdoor versus indoor buds is often marketed around THC levels associated with indoor growing. High THC, he said, “might not be as big a factor as people make of it now … terpenes and combinations of cannabinoids can produce a better high than just high THC.”

With 20,000 square feet of indoor and three acres of outdoor cultivation, Mackie Barch, co-founder and chief cannabis officer at CULTA in Maryland, has significant interest in both worlds.

“You guys out West have such a different perspective on things, because it’s been so normalized out there for so long,” Barch said. “This is like aliens have landed back East. We’re a very very very long way from cultural normalization of business practices.”

Barch agrees that encouraging or allowing outdoor and greenhouse growing is an important step in combating cannabis’s energy problem. Most marijuana products sold are oils or edibles of some sort and those don’t require perfect, consumer-enticing buds, he notes.

When CULTA moved some of its production indoors, Barch explained, they started with LED lights and built around those, after testing whether LED lights could grow high-quality buds.

“We started building everything in LEDs, that was the first stop, and then we started looking at our power bills and going, ‘Oh my god,’” Barch said.

Switching to LED lights — which are much cheaper to operate and let off much less heat than the standard high-pressure sodium lights — requires a lot less energy to control heat in a building, he said. But, that also means retrofitting a building already using the older-style lights, modifying its HVAC systems etc., is much more complex and expensive than simply twisting in new light bulbs.

Barch hopes CULTA’s growing production can become carbon neutral in a decade, through efficiency but also forms of co-generation such as solar panels or generating electricity with combined heat and power ( CHP ) that use a fuel source such as natural gas or biomass.

“The industry is really taking it upon itself to tackle this issue,” he said. “While you haven’t seen a major push yet, you’re going to see it. … This industry is going to be growing by double and triple digits for the next decade, and if we don’t get our hands around sustainability, we’re going to have a PR problem.”

On that front, Cooney from Sustainable Cannabis Coalition said his group is working to provide cannabis growers with tools and standards that help them to know and document their greenhouse gas position. They hope to have an app available for producers soon that can help them account for, track and report their carbon footprint.

“So they can talk sanely about what their sustainability position is,” he said. “They can say to their customers, their investors, the state of Massachusetts or Colorado or California, this is what we’re doing.”

Jake Ellison has been an award-winning journalist for 30 years in the Pacific Northwest (primarily at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer) covering science, higher education and cannabis legalization.

Former Reagan Administration Official Calls War on Drugs ‘a Terrible Mistake’

Wed, 13 May 2020 17:13:31 GMT

District Cannabis co-founder Edward L. Weidenfeld served under six presidential administrations. Here, he shares his views on the past, present and future of cannabis legislation.

NOELLE SKODZINSKI | MAY 13, 2020

Edward L. Weidenfeld’s close affiliation with the Reagan Administration was based on many shared political ideologies; the war on drugs, however, was not one of them.

“The war on drugs was never a priority or an interest of mine,” he says.

But what may have started as indifference evolved over the years into misgivings and then discord, propelled by his sense of social justice and his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease (symptoms of which he treats with cannabis).

The latter would eventually lead the former Reagan Administration staffer down a new career path: In early 2018, he co-founded the medical cannabis cultivation operation Phyto Management in Washington, D.C., followed by Hagerstown, Md.-based Maryland Cultivation and Processing, which was licensed in 2019 and expects it first harvest in June or early July this year, according to Weidenfeld. Both businesses market the shared District Cannabis brand.

His earlier political career offered a rich foundation on which to build a foray into the newly legal cannabis space. As a member of the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and an appointee to the Council of the Administrative Conferences of the United States, among other roles, Weidenfeld had a front-row seat as the Reagan Administration further fueled former President Richard M. Nixon’s war on drugs.

He was working in the White House during the time First Lady Nancy Reagan began championing the famed “Just Say No” anti-drug campaign and when President Ronald Reagan’s declared his own war on drugs in 1982.

Weidenfeld also served under President Nixon as director of the energy staff, U.S. House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs from 1971-1973. “For years he was best known as a GOP lobbyist and fixer,” reported the Washingtonian in 2002.

Here, Weidenfeld, who is also a top-rated attorney and founder of The Weidenfeld Law Firm, shares his recollections of the Reagan-era war on drugs; what he sees as the fates of currently proposed legislation, such as the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019; and his thoughts on the likelihood of cannabis being removed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

Noelle Skodzinski: The Reagan Administration is well-known for its opposition to drugs, including cannabis, which was largely pushed out to the masses through the First Lady’s “Just Say No” advertising campaign. Did you support this and, if so, what led you to change your minds?

Weidenfeld

Ed Weidenfeld: I came to the Reagan Administration and to President Reagan out of a belief in small deficits, reasonable national defense, a libertarian view that said people should be free to pursue that which doesn't damage others. The war on drugs was never a priority or an interest of mine. The people who fought the war on drugs, the Drug Enforcement Administration, had people who I didn't even desire to have social conversations with because they were such true believers.

But my theory is “Just Say No” came from a different quarter. It came from Mrs. Reagan who wanted to be a First Lady that stood for something that would improve the lives of her countrymen. I think her motive was reasonable. She somehow fastened on to “Just Say No,” and suddenly you had the administration [behind it]. … It pleased the president to see action taken on something Mrs. Reagan cared about.

I think it came on the radar rather casually, but it did become a priority, and it was a terrible mistake. It demonized a substance which has tremendous therapeutic potential, was used as a means of social control over people of color, immigrants. It really created the abominable private prison system where you gave the care of prisoners over to the lowest bidder, and virtually guaranteed with the sentencing act [the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which mandated minimum sentences for certain drug crimes], the private investors would get a return on their investment.

Skodzinski: So, with your decades of experience in politics, you've seen shifts in politicians’ views on cannabis. Can you provide some insights into what you have seen and how far politicians in your view have come or have not come in getting away from the “Reefer Madness” mindset?

Weidenfeld: Well the “Reefer Madness” mindset still … attracts a majority of the Congress. Witness the coronavirus aid programs, all of which expressly exclude medical or legal cannabis. I have seen people change their minds, but there really is still a stigmatization publicly, … like some of the pro-choice cheerleaders. Privately, when a member of their family has a condition or a disease that responds to cannabis, they're taking a very short step toward changing their minds.

It's like so much of the cannabis history, people acting out of ignorance or economic gain or pressure. And let's not underestimate the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, the liquor industry, the tobacco industry, their allies, the anti-gun control people, the evangelicals to perpetuate the image of marijuana as a gateway drug. …

Now, demographically, we've had two presidents who have told the public that they've at least "tried" cannabis—Clinton and Obama. And I think … we’re now moving toward a demographic wave that is friendlier to cannabis.

Skodzinski: With many cannabis businesses deemed essential during the current coronavirus pandemic, do you see this causing a shift in Washington and how it treats cannabis businesses with regards to taxes (280E) and banking?

Weidenfeld: I think we're slowly, slowly … moving, but I don't think we are going to see [the removal of] 280E, which effectively taxes the marijuana industry the tax everyone else pays plus 40%. To my knowledge, it's the only time the tax code imposes a punitive tax on an industry. We were excluded from the coronavirus aid legislation. The biggest thing we have going for us, aside from the demographics and the good that the plant does, is that this industry employs a lot of people and will generate large amounts of taxes for states and localities who are the most injured financially at the moment.

Skodzinski: What are your thoughts on the likelihood of the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019 passing?

Weidenfeld: I don't think much is going to pass the remainder of this session, but I would be surprised if early next session it doesn't pass. Because in addition to being the right thing to do, the very strong lobby of the banking industry—realizing these are no longer crumbs on the table, but big dollars—is turning their lobby on. And that combined with the interest of the states in not having a system that effectively has risk of thievery … to their people, doesn't get accounted for. … So, the stars are lining up for the Secure Act.

Skodzinski: What about the more recently introduced Emergency Cannabis Small Business Health and Safety Act?

Weidenfeld: If there were justice, that would be a no-brainer. But you have to understand, anything having to do with cannabis, liberalizing cannabis laws and regulations, is red meat for the red states. … And, unfortunately, I think there is a cheap and easy way for a member of the House or Senate to show that they want to preserve the existing order by casting a “no” vote on cannabis.

Skodzinski: What else do you think Washington can do to better serve the cannabis industry, and how likely do you think those things are to happen?

Weidenfeld: I don't think Washington is likely to do anything for the cannabis industry until [the industry] becomes a significant participant in the fundraising game for campaign finance. I find it hard to believe that the government is going to do anything for the industry at this time, [but] I think they will do something for their constituents who find cannabis to be therapeutic. I think there is a growing awareness of the past demonization, and so the government may do an educational program. The biggest thing the government can do obviously is get marijuana off of Schedule I, conduct some real clinical studies and treat the industry as any other legitimate business is treated. And the industry is waiting to see if Joe Biden can overcome his personal experience or position against drug or marijuana use.

And besides that, stay out of the way of the organic growth a new industry.

Skodzinski: How likely do you think it is that marijuana will be rescheduled?

Weidenfeld: I see it as inevitable, but it's going to happen soon if there is a change in administration or in the Senate. Schedule I is an inappropriate place for a plant that has a history of thousands of years of great benefits, no damage that's yet been discovered, and the sooner the science is completed, the more comfortable people are going to be with a formerly stigmatized substance that has made sheltering in place far less burdensome for a substantial segment of the population.

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