Marijuana Business Daily

Scapegoat or solution? Ouster of top New York marijuana official raises questions

Published

5 months ago

May 14, 2024

admin

The exit of Chris Alexander, the top state official overseeing New York’s rollout of adult-use marijuana sales, is seen by many as assigning blame for what has been decried as the country’s worst cannabis market launch to date.

More than three years after New York legalized adult use, only 122 stores were open for business statewide, and the market’s $123 million in 2023 sales was only about one-quarter of projections.

But whether Alexander’s departure as executive director of the state Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) will mean a turnaround – or whether his replacement, to be assigned by Gov. Kathy Hochul upon completion of Alexander’s term in September, will be any better – is far from clear, industry observers told MJBizDaily on Monday.

Read full article on Marijuana Business Daily

Source link

Marijuana Business Daily

Connecticut’s cannabis sales decline 12% in September

Published

2 days ago

October 15, 2024

admin

Total cannabis sales in Connecticut dropped 12% in September, according to recently released data.

Recreational and medical marijuana sales declined from a $25.6 million in August to $23.4 million in September, according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.

Adult-use sales fell 7.6%, from $18 million in August to $16.6 million in September.

Medical marijuana sales dropped 10.9%, from $7.7 million to $6.8 million.

Ben Zachs, owner of recreational and medical marijuana retailer Fine Fettle, said sales were lower than expected.

“Our metrics showed that, just in terms of fundamentals, September should have been a month that was about 8.5% below August,” Zachs told CT Insider.

“But to see 12% was not what we’d love to necessarily see as we’re

Read full article on Marijuana Business Daily

Source link

Marijuana Business Daily

Massachusetts fines marijuana MSOs Ascend, Curaleaf a combined $165,000

Published

6 days ago

October 11, 2024

admin

Massachusetts regulators fined New York-based marijuana multistate operators Ascend Wellness Holdings and Curaleaf Holdings a combined $165,000 for neglecting consumer safety practices.

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) fined Ascend $85,000 on Thursday for omitting roughly 900 marijuana products from the state’s required track-and-trace system, The Boston Globe reported.

The allegations, which date as far back as 2021, included failing to seal gaps in doors and ducts as well as workplace deficiencies that led to at least three contaminated cannabis samples.

The CCC fined Curaleaf $80,000 on Thursday for systemic failures limiting contamination from pesticides at its Amesbury and Webster cultivation facilities, according to the Globe.

Meanwhile, the CCC expects to conclude its search

Read full article on Marijuana Business Daily

Source link

Marijuana Business Daily

Florida cannabis businesses shut down, halt delivery as Hurricane Milton nears

Published

1 week ago

October 10, 2024

admin

Florida cannabis businesses began shutting down this week in anticipation of Hurricane Milton, which was expected to make landfall late Wednesday on the state’s west coast.

Milton’s wrath didn’t sway Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to extend the Oct. 7 deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election.

In addition to casting votes for president, Florida voters will decide whether to legalize adult-use marijuana in the state.

“People can register today,” DeSantis told the Florida Phoenix on Monday.

“There’s nothing inhibiting you from registering today. The storm has not hit yet.”

Voters’ rights groups had asked DeSantis to extend the deadline as Florida residents continued to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene ahead of Milton making landfall.

Meanwhile, cannabis operators were

Read full article on Marijuana Business Daily

Source link