Cannabis

California or New York? Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess?

Published

11 months ago

June 15, 2023

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Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan, and seventeen other states have rolled out recreational marijuana. None with the ongoing drama of California and New York. The two have provided fodder for industry business media (and mainstream media also), the gnashing of teeth for investors, tears and anguish for legal business owners and confused consumers.

The legal marijuana industry was worth $28 billion in 2022, with an expectation to rise in 2023. Currently, 23 states have recreational and 40 have medical with over 48 million Americans consuming cannabis annually. It is becoming a big business, and the two most important states are California and New York. Both undercut the industry, feed drama and stymie federal legalization.

marijuana dispensary — Photo by smodj/Getty Images

California is the original major player and home of the largest legal market in the country, if not the world. California is estimated to have done $5.3 billion in 2022, and that is just what is reported. The state is home to Medmen, High Times, and more players who have blended into the mainstream media. Medmen has even been mocked by the show South Park. But what really undercuts the California market is the taxes. Early on, everyone saw it as a cash cow and everyone wanted a piece of the action. Local, regional and state governments dove deep into the industry, all demanding a chunk.

In California there is an Excise Tax, A State Sales Tax, A Business Tax, and a Local Tax. The revenue has been good for the state, but they forgot to do one thing. They haven’t built a system to eliminate the unauthorized (illegal) companies, so customers and businesses have reverted to “old school” black markets around the state.

California’s legal market lost nearly one-quarter of its total growing area after the start of 2022. Legal high priced indoor grow competes with cheap outdoor grow. Governor Newsom, the state’s legislature and the industry forgot customers care about price. For the first time, legal sales went backwards in the state as use stayed the same or trended up.

Green Market Report broke the news about California-based Glass House Brands Inc. being charged as “one of the largest, if not the largest, black marketers of cannabis in the State of California, if not the country,”. They have been shipping cannabis across state lines, according to a new lawsuit filed by one of the company’s retail competitors.

Where are they shipping the hot goods? Some are going to New York State, which has been rolled with its own pandemonium.

New York State converted from medical to fully recreational in 2021, but the rollout happened in 2022 after a chaotic total overhaul of original plan that had mass buy in from existing players. Currently, New York City has about 1,500 unlicensed retailers operating with the state working to close several a month. These stores sell legal, semi-legal, local illegal and California illegal products each day.

This week, the New York Cannabis Control Board met and managed to avoid significant action. One of the agenda items was the resignation of Reuben McDaniel who as CEO of the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) was in a unique, if not sticky, situation. McDaniel had not won friends in his helping roll out legalization.

As Green Market Report shared “The members opened the meeting with the unanimous approval of 36 new conditional adult use retail dispensary permits, bringing the total number of retail licensees to 251. The new licensees included seven in the Finger Lakes Region, which had previously been stalled by litigation. But as of Thursday, there are only 13 operational retailers, OCM staff noted, with two more set to open in coming days in the Bronx and Syracuse. Getting even more open as soon as possible is one of the OCM’s top priorities. Chief Equity Officer Damian Fagon told the board his office is sifting through more than 300 dispensary location applications as quickly as possible, with 146 that have already been approved.”

how the costco of cannabis will upend marijuana black market — Photo by Yarygin/Getty Images

That would be 146 legal stores statewide versus 1,500+ illegal stores in NYC who are loose on rules and taxes. The 1,500+ stores have been doing a solid business to the population. Unfortunately for the legal growers and product makers, those customers are unreachable thanks to New York Cannabis Control Board.

New York and California are important markets and key to federal approval. In an ever-changing world there seems to be constant, government trend to overlook the vox populi (popular sentiment or opinion).

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Biden

Cannabis Rescheduling Takes The Next Steps

Published

6 hours ago

May 17, 2024

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The Biden administration’s marijuana rescheduling takes the next step

The Department of Justice is moving marijuana rescheduling to the next step. The administration has proposed moving the drug from Schedule I, a strict classification including drugs like heroin, to Schedule III, which is more on the level of Tylenol. It also marks the federal government acknowledgement the plants medical benefits. The industry will watch over the next few months as the process of moving it forward grinds ahead.

President Joe Biden announced move on his official account on X (formerly known as Twitter. In a video Biden shared “This is monumental, It’s an important move towards reversing long-standing inequities. … Far too many lives have been upended because of a failed approach to marijuana, and I’m committed to righting those wrongs. You have my word on it.”

Vice President Kamala Harris also released a video Thursday, hailing the progress. It seems she has progressed in her position over the last 5 years.

Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks

A key part of the next step is a 60-day comment period. This will allow any and all parties to provide information, opinion, support or random thoughts. Already a group of GOP Senators want to either slow or stop the process. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) has started leading an effort to stall the plan if not outright stop it. They are going against the general public opinion with 85%+ believe it should be legal in some form.

The Drug Enforcement Agency is not 100% on board and there are still hurdles to rescheduling. After the comment person, there could be a review from an administrative judge, which could be a drawn-out process. The total process can take from 3 months to a year, although it is unlikely the issue will not be resolved before the election.

Considering the stance of the federal government, Senator Mitch McConnell, and certain other opponents, the road is still going to be a bit bumpy. The industry, in an awkward growth mood, is in need of the government not to be a hindrance. But only time will tell.

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Cannabis

Slovakia And Cannabis

Published

12 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Despite being landlocked – it become a tourist destination for it’s beautiful outdoors – but can you chill in Slovakia?

The Slovak Republic came into being in 1993 after centuries under Russia, Austria, monarchs and more. Beautiful towns, breathtaking outdoors and affordable prices makes the country a tourist hot spot. They receive as many tourists and they have citizens, so the place is hopping. But what about Slovakia and cannabis? Well, not so breaktaking.

Slovakia is a parliamentary democratic republic with Catholics a majority of the population. It ranks the 46th of the richest country in the world. The capital, Bratislava, is the -richest region of the European Union with 90% of citizens owning their homes. Traditionally more Euro friendly, it has lately become polarized and embracing a backward phase, which has hurt in the way of cannabis use. The attempted assassination of the Prime Minster, whose government seems to be at least open to listening about the benefits of medical marijuana, is another set back.

Canada, the United States and some of Europe is taking a more modern approach to cannabis allowing for medical, and increasingly, full recreational. Bringing a healthy illicit market into the legal sphere has been a boon for tax revenue and has unexpected positive effect for the population. The medical community has embraced the plant for its currently know medical benefits and are pushing for research. But in Slovakia, marijuana is illegal and possession of even small amounts of the drug (a joint) can lead to lengthy prison terms. Having a small amount can end with the offender spending up to eight years in prison.

The country was once joined with the Czech Republic, who allows personal possession has since it was decriminalized in January 2010 with medical cannabis has been legal since 1 April 2013. Unlike Slovakia, which is prominently Catholic, the Czechs are less religious and have a pragmatic and practical view of the world.

If you are visiting, you should be very careful bringing or buying anything in country.

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anxiety

Does Francis Ford Coppola Consume Weed

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2024

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His talent created Apocalypse Now, the Godfather movies and now Megalopolis – but does he consume marijuana?

He is a legend in the film industry and directed Apocalypse Now and the Godfather. He burst on onto the scene in the 1960s and 70s and brought in a new generation of movies. Known as one of the greatest directors of all time, he also went on to make a name in the wine industry. Displayed at one of the wineries are some of his five Academy Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Palmes d’Or, and his British Academy Film Award (BAFTA). With all the creativity and pressure, does Francis Ford Coppola consume weed?

The 60s and 70s were when weed came out of the closet and from New York to LA creatives, artists, celebrities and every day people tried a little. “Turn on, tune in, drop out” was the counterculture-era phrase popularized by Timothy Leary in 1966. The talented director was able to reflect the past and embrace the new with his film. It was one of his early successes, Apocalypse Now, which marijuana burst into the open. There are great clips of Dennis Hopper stoned on set.

Megalopolis could be the last major project film for the director, and it has taken him 40 years to get it made. His unique approach is again make headlines with the team sharing he has spent hours on end smoking plenty of cannabis while everybody waited.

“I never took any drugs in my life at all except for some grass,” Coppola said. “I found that the effect that the grass would have on me is interesting. One, it would make me extremely focused, so if I was trying to evaluate a script or write a script, I wasn’t thinking of all the things where my feelings were hurt about this or I was worried about that.”

He added, “I’m sure grass affects different people in different ways. For me, I tended to be very focused. If I smoked a joint, I couldn’t fall asleep. I’d want to work. And often, I stayed up all night trying to rewrite a script.”

RELATED: How To Microdose Marijuana

A savoy businessman, he turns his passion into money. His love of wine had made him money with two wineries, his love of beauty and travel has brought him a luxury hotels and his love of cannabis has brought him into the industry. Coppola launched Sana Company in partnership with Humboldt Brothers in 2018 and released the brand known as The Grower’s Series.

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