Hi all,

Happy new year! No predictions from me except that it won’t be boring.

Let’s get to it,

Alex

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CATALYST SUES CALIF. TAX AUTHORITY

Federal:

• Former FDA attorney Howard Sklamberg argues that rescheduling won’t lead to a crackdown in state markets.
  Politico 
• The U.S. Hemp Roundtable released its priorities for this year’s Farm Bill. They include: “Maintain the current definition of ‘hemp’ while balancing appropriate consumer protections with continued market access.”
• The DEA called for more THC, psilocybin and DMT to be produced for research purposes. They are all schedule I drugs.
  Marijuana Moment

Business:

• Operators aren’t thrilled with track and trace software, MJBiz reports.
• MJBiz also reported on the modest 2024 expansion plans for several marquee MSOs.
• Canna Law Blog assesses the four biggest cannabiz risks for 2024.
• MSO Trulieve named Wes Getman its new CFO. Ryan Blust had been serving in an interim capacity after the company fired one CFO for alleged improprieties and another arrived and then departed almost immediately.
  CFO Dive
• Pot stocks rallied in December.
  New Cannabis Ventures
• Two Juul directors who helped bail out the e-cig maker, are the target of an investor lawsuit alleging they were out to benefit themselves, not the company. The directors include cannabis investor Nick Pritzker.

State and local:

• Nearly half of Missouri equity license applicants were from out of state.
  Missouri Independent
• New Mexico regulators revoked two more licenses.
  KRQE
• Nevada relaxed its licensing red tape.
  Green Market Report
• Mississippi put 70% of product (in the state) on hold due to concerns over pesticide testing.
  Magnolia Tribune
• Amid delays, Alabama regulators said the MED market would open this year.
  AP

Health and science:

• Consultant Daniel Fowler, who holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology, argues that 2024 will be the year of “gene-edited” weed.
• Researchers at Johns Hopkins University announced a new study to follow 10,000 ‘nationally representative’ MED patients for a year.
  Marijuana Moment

Upcoming:

• CannaDataCon is hosting a February 1-2 livestream for those who can’t make it to Miami. No press allowed.

Fun and interesting:

• Willie Nelson was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
  American Songwriter
• WhistlePig Whiskey released a new “Dank & Dry” bottled Old Fashioned cocktail containing cannabis terpenes but no alcohol.
  Cannabis Products Insider

State:

• The Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) shut down flower testing at most of the licensed labs in the state until they meet new protocol requirements.
  SFGate
• Before Catalyst filed its lawsuit against CDTFA, 420CPA discussed the tax issue in a blog post.
• Here are the details about the new job protection law for cannabis users.
  SacBee
• San Francisco Assemblymember Matt Haney reintroduced a cannabis cafe bill, after Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed last year’s bill.
  SFist

Business:

• “MedMen has evaporated.”
  New Cannabis Ventures
• MG Magazine posted the state’s 10 best selling edibles brands.

Local:

• Dispensaries are catching on in the Central Valley.
  The Business Journal
• In Humboldt, the industry struggles to keep afloat.
  Times-Standard

Equity:

• Luke Scarmazzo, who spent 14 years in federal prison after opening a dispensary in Modesto, is releasing his new brand Prophet in his hometown. The party is January 19 at Phenos. Scarmazzo also recently published memoir High Price, which he wrote in solitary confinement. 

Crime:

• A suspected shooter and others are in custody after Oakland police officer Tuan Le was fatally shot responding to a burglary at an unlicensed grow. It was the second burglary at the location in four hours.
  CBS

Job moves:

• Law firm Omar Figueroa promoted Lauren Mendelsohn to junior partner.